You get up and look in the mirror and wonder, “Am I doing better than yesterday?” It’s so easy to compare yourself to others and feel discouraged. But what if you compared yourself to who you were just 24 hours ago? It’s a simple mindset shift with big benefits. Tracking your progress day-by-day helps you see incremental improvements, feel more motivated, and stay focused on your own growth journey. Forget about what others are doing. This article will convince you why the only comparison that matters is between today’s you and yesterday’s you. When you compete with yourself by being at little better each day, you’ll be amazed by how far you can go.
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Yesterday You Wouldn’t Recognize the Person You’ve Become
The phrase “Yesterday You Wouldn’t Recognize the Person You’ve Become” speaks to the profound changes a person can undergo, often without realizing it. It’s a reflection on personal growth and the transformative power of experiences. Whether through overcoming challenges, learning new skills, or changing perspectives, we all evolve over time. This evolution can be so significant that if we could meet our past selves, they might not recognize us. It’s a testament to the human capacity for change and development.
Your Perspective Has Widened. The experiences you’ve had and lessons you’ve learned have given you a wider perspective on life. Things that seemed like such a big deal back then now seem trivial. You realize there are more important things in life than what others think of you or acquiring material possessions.
You’ve Developed New Interests and Hobbies. Interests you never imagined have emerged and brought richness to your life. Maybe you’ve discovered a passion for travel, art, or volunteering. Pursuing new hobbies and passions helps create dimension and purpose.
You Value Relationships More. The relationships in your life have taken on more meaning and depth. You appreciate your close friends and family in a way you didn’t fully understand before. Making time to nurture those relationships is a priority.
You’ve Built Resilience. Life has thrown challenges your way, but with each one you’ve overcome, your strength and resilience have grown. You have confidence in yourself now that you can get through hard times. That resilience gives you inner peace.
You Accept Yourself. You’ve developed self-acceptance and learned not to be so hard on yourself. Your imperfections and quirks are part of what make you uniquely you. You recognize that your worth isn’t defined by what others think of you. You matter simply because you exist.
Comparing yourself to the person you were yesterday allows you to see how far you’ve come. Be proud of the growth and progress you’ve made. The person you are today would astonish the person you once were, and tomorrow you’ll be astonished by the person you become.
Why You Need to Compare Yourself to Who You Were Yesterday
Comparing yourself to who you were yesterday rather than to others can be a more constructive and healthy approach to personal growth. It allows for a personalized benchmark of progress and self-improvement, focusing on your own journey and achievements. It’s a practice that can lead to greater life satisfaction and well-being, as it steers away from the often detrimental effects of social comparison.
To Know How Far You’ve Come in Your Personal Growth
Comparing yourself to who you were yesterday allows you to truly see the progress you’ve made in life. It gives you perspective on how far you’ve come and can motivate you to continue improving. Growth in Maturity Think back to the person you were a year or two ago. How have you matured since then? Maybe you’ve become calmer in stressful situations or learned better communication skills. Looking at your growth in maturity and wisdom over time can show you that you’re moving in the right direction.
Developing New Skills
It’s likely that you’ve developed new skills and talents over the years. Learning to cook, speak a new language, play an instrument, or master a hobby are all examples of skills you may have gained through practice and persistence. Comparing your current abilities to when you first started can inspire you to continue progressing and show you what you’re capable of with hard work.
Cultivating Healthier Habits
Have you made improvements to your health and wellness recently? Perhaps you’ve started exercising, improved your diet, reduced stress, or quit unhealthy habits. Recognizing the progress you’ve made in cultivating healthier habits and a better lifestyle will motivate you to keep going. Every small change you make has a big impact over time.
Gaining Fresh Perspectives
The way you view the world changes as you gain more life experiences. You develop wisdom, open your mind to different ideas, and realize that there are many sides to every story. Looking back, you may notice that your perspectives on various issues have evolved and become less black-and-white. Continuing to expand your mind will lead to greater understanding and growth.
Comparing yourself to your past self is the only comparison that really matters. Focus on how far you’ve come rather than where you think you should be. Every lesson you’ve learned, skill you’ve gained, habit you’ve built, and way your perspectives have shifted have made you the person you are today. Be proud of your progress! The journey continues, so keep striving to become your best self.
To Recognize the Areas Where You’ve Grown the Most
Comparing yourself today to who you were yesterday allows you to see how much you’ve grown in the areas that really matter. Think about it-a year ago, what were your struggles, your weaknesses, your bad habits? Now think about the progress you’ve made in overcoming those obstacles. Every small victory, every lesson learned, and every good habit formed should be celebrated.
Developing New Skills
Maybe a year ago you felt stuck in your career or education because you lacked certain skills. But through diligent work and persistence, you’ve acquired those skills and opened up new opportunities. Learning a new skill, whether through formal education or self-study, is an accomplishment to be proud of. The more you’ve challenged yourself, the more you’ve grown.
Building Better Relationships
Your relationships a year ago may have needed work. But you’ve put in effort to improve communication, set healthier boundaries, forgive past hurts, and show more compassion. You’ve learned that relationships require compromise, sacrifice, and commitment to thrive. Every relationship that has deepened over the past year is a sign of your growth and maturity.
Developing a Growth Mindset
More than any particular skill or habit, developing a growth mindset is the most impactful way you can grow as a person. A growth mindset believes that talents and abilities can be developed through effort. If you’ve learned to embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as the path to mastery, and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others, you’ve come a long way. Your growth mindset will shape your future progress and happiness.
Comparing yourself to who you were yesterday keeps you focused on your own journey of continuous self-improvement. You’ll recognize how adversity and struggles have strengthened you and find motivation to continue growing into your best self. Measure your progress in the areas that really define you—your character, values, relationships, and impact. Comparing yourself to others only breeds jealousy, insecurity, and stagnation. You have so much amazing potential within you, so keep nurturing your growth and becoming.
To Realize the Obstacles You’ve Overcome Recently
Comparing yourself to who you were yesterday allows you to gain perspective on how far you’ve come. It’s easy to forget the small wins and milestones you achieve each and every day. Looking back at the person you were just 24 hours ago helps you realize the obstacles you’ve already overcome.
You’re Stronger Than You Think
Challenges that seemed insurmountable yesterday may seem trivial today. That’s because you persevered and pushed through. You found inner strength and resilience you didn’t know you had. I appreciate how much you’ve grown in such a short period of time. You’re stronger and wiser than you give yourself credit for.
You’re Making Progress
It can feel like you’re stuck in a rut or spinning your wheels, but you’re advancing more than you realize. Comparing yourself to yesterday reveals the progress you’re making each and every day. You’re moving forward, even if it’s at a slower pace than you’d like. Focus on how far you’ve come rather than how far you have left to go. Celebrate each small win.
You’re Learning and Improving
Looking back at the person you were yesterday helps you see how much you’ve learned in such a short time. You have a deeper understanding and new perspectives. You’ve acquired skills and developed better habits. You’re sharpening yourself through each experience and challenge. Appreciate how much you’re evolving and improving from day to day.
Comparing yourself to who you were yesterday provides motivation and inspiration to continue growing. You’ll realize you have so much amazing potential. You can achieve more than you ever imagined. Look how far you’ve come in just one day! Keep putting one foot in front of the other. You’ve got this.
To Find Thee New Skills You’ve Developed
Yesterday you had different skills, experiences, and perspectives than you have today. Comparing yourself to who you were just 24 hours ago allows you to see the progress you’ve made and the new abilities you’ve gained, even in small ways.
You Can Do Things Today that you couldn’t Yesterday
Maybe yesterday you struggled with a task at work or a hobby that today you breezed through. The skills and knowledge you’ve gained, even in a short time, have made that activity easier. Congratulate yourself on that progress rather than comparing yourself to someone else who has more experience. Every skill you build makes the next one easier to develop.
Your Understanding Has Grown
The conversations and interactions you had yesterday have provided new insights and a deeper understanding of ideas that you didn’t fully grasp before. Your mind has had time to process new information in your subconscious, and connections are forming that weren’t there previously. Comparing your knowledge and perspective today versus yesterday shows how much you’re continuously learning and evolving.
You Have More Experience To Draw From
Every day provides new experiences that shape your judgment and decision making. Situations that felt overwhelming or confusing yesterday may feel more manageable today because you have an additional day’s worth of life experiences to help put them in perspective. Believe in your ability to handle difficulties, learn from your experiences, and continue moving forward.
Comparing yourself to the person you were just yesterday emphasizes progress over perfection. It helps you appreciate how much you’re growing from each day to the next. So instead of measuring yourself against unrealistic standards, measure yourself against the person you were before-you just might be impressed by how far you’ve come in so short a time. Focus on continuing that momentum of growth and learning.
To Identify Your Changing Mindset and Perspective
Comparing yourself to your past self is one of the healthiest ways to measure your personal growth and progress. Your values and priorities change over time. The person you were just yesterday may have had a slightly different outlook or way of thinking about certain situations than you do right now.
Take a moment to reflect on how your perspectives and mindsets have evolved recently. Maybe a few months ago you were in a scarcity mindset, worried there would never be enough time, money or love. But today you have embraced an abundance mindset, recognizing that there are enough resources and opportunities to go around.
Your interests and hobbies change and develop over time. What excited or inspired you yesterday may not light the same spark today. And that’s okay. Our interests are constantly evolving based on our experiences, interactions, and personal development. Comparing yourself to your past self helps you identify how your tastes and pursuits are changing so you can modify your goals and habits accordingly.
Your skills and abilities are constantly improving. Simply due to living life, you are gaining knowledge and expertise every single day. Comparing yourself to yesterday allows you to recognize the progress you’ve made and see concrete examples of how you have grown and advanced. This builds confidence in your abilities and also highlights areas you can continue improving.
Rather than harshly judging yourself for who you were in the past, compare yourself with compassion. See how far you’ve come and be proud of the progress you’ve made, no matter how small. Use it as motivation to continue evolving into the person you want to become. Comparing yourself to yesterday, with kindness and patience, allows you to build the life you want one day at a time.
How You Treat Yourself and Others Now
The way you talk to yourself has a huge impact on your self-esteem and mental health. Are you your own worst critic, constantly berating yourself over mistakes and imperfections? Or do you show yourself compassion, speaking to yourself with encouragement and praise for your efforts and progress? Comparing yourself to who you were yesterday allows you to appreciate the small wins and see how far you’ve come. Give yourself credit for your growth and be gentle with yourself over perceived “failures.” You’re a work in progress, so focus on progress, not perfection.
Spread Kindness Around; The way you treat others also says a lot about your personal growth. Do you make an effort to be kind whenever possible, with a friendly smile, encouraging word or small act of kindness? Or do you tend to be impatient, judgmental or critical of those around you? Comparing yourself to your past self in this area can inspire you to improve the way you interact with people each and every day. Make a habit of complimenting others, listening without judgment and speaking with compassion. Your kindness can change lives.
Keep an Open and Curious Mind
An open and curious mind is key to personal expansion. Are you open to new ideas, perspectives and ways of thinking about the world? Or do you tend to be rigid and closed-minded, clinging to your preconceptions? Challenging yourself to expose yourself to different viewpoints and opinions is how you continue to leam and grow. Seek to understand, not just reply. Question assumptions and consider other possibilities. Comparing yourself to your past close-mindedness will show you how much broader your thinking has become. But there’s always more to explore!
Comparing yourself to who you were yesterday in these ways gives you a chance to appreciate your progress while still striving to be a little better each day. Focus on the journey, not the destination. You have so much wonderful potential, so be kind to yourself and keep learning and expanding your mind. The person you’ll be tomorrow depends on the person you choose to be right now.
Your Goals for the Future. To keep improving, focus on setting small, concrete goals and comparing yourself to who you were yesterday. Rather than overly ambitious resolutions, set specific and measurable short-term goals. Maybe this week you aim to exercise for 30 minutes a day 3 times, or learn a new skill by reading a book on the topic. As the saying goes, “Inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard.”
Keep a journal to track your progress and hold yourself accountable. Note how you felt accomplishing your goals each day. Referring back to your entries will show you the progress you’ve made over time. Celebrate each win, no matter how small. Reward yourself for milestones achieved to stay motivated.
Continuously revisit and revise your goals. Don’t be afraid to adjust them as needed to keep them realistic and meaningful to you. Maybe you’ve improved on something faster than expected and are ready to take on a new challenge. Or life events require you to reprioritize what’s important right now. The key is to keep moving forward at your own pace.
Comparing yourself to who you were yesterday allows you to appreciate the progress you’ve made, however gradual. You built positive habits and skills over time through continuous self-improvement. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, learn from your mistakes, and become a little better each day. Your future self will thank you.
The path to your goals may not always be linear. There will be ups and downs, successes and failures along the way. But stay determined and consistent, even through difficult times. Maintaining a growth mindset will help you persevere. You have the power to shape your future through the choices you make today. Keep your eyes on where you want to go, but be fully present in each moment. You’ve got this! Keep at it and never stop improving. The best view comes after the hardest climb. Your goals are within your reach.
FAQ: Answering Common Questions About Comparing Yourself to the Past
A lot of people struggle with comparing themselves to who they used to be. It’s easy to look back and feel disappointed in your progress or dwell on past mistakes. But comparing yourself to your past self the right way can be motivating. Here are some common questions and answers to help you do it productively:
Do I have to compare myself to the person I was yesterday? No, you can compare yourself to who you were last week, last month, or even last year. The time frame isn’t as important as your mindset. The goal is to see how far you’ve come and maintain an attitude of growth and progress.
What if I feel like I haven’t improved? Don’t be too hard on yourself. Change can be slow and subtle. Look for small wins and areas where you’ve built better habits or skills over time. Appreciate what you have achieved and use it as motivation to continue improving. Comparing yourself to your past is meant to be encouraging, not discouraging.
How do I avoid negative self-talk? Speak to yourself with compassion and praise your efforts and wins, however small. Notice your thoughts and reframe them into more constructive ones. If you find yourself being self-critical, ask yourself what you’d say to encourage a friend in the same situation. Give yourself the same kindness.
What if I can’t stop focusing on past regrets? Learn from your mistakes and forgive yourself. While it’s important to acknowledge the past, try not to dwell on it. Make the choice each day to shift your mind to the present and future, focusing on what you want to achieve now. With practice, negative thoughts about the past will subside.
The key is maintaining a balanced and forgiving perspective. Don’t be too critical or too lenient; aim for objective self-assessment and encouragement. Comparing yourself to your past should motivate you, not make you feel inadequate. With regular practice, self-compassion, and a growth mindset, you’ll get better at using the past for progress.
Final Thought
Focusing on self-improvement starts with self-acceptance. Don’t compare yourself to others or to an idealized version of who you think you should be. Instead, compare yourself to who you were yesterday in a spirit of progress, not perfection. Celebrate the small wins, learn from the mistakes, and have compassion for yourself as you grow. Each day you wake up is a chance to be better than you were the day before. That steady improvement, built on a foundation of self-kindness, will add up over time. So be gentle with yourself, seek to understand before you seek to be understood, and keep moving forward—that’s all any of us can do!
References
- 12 Rules For Life by Jordan Peterson: Review, Notes & Quotes August 29, 2021 by Cameron
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