Clifton Kopp
They say comparison is the thief of joy–a sentiment I’d say is mostly spot on.
And we’re currently living through the golden age of comparisons.
Everyone is scrolling all day, every day, almost addicted to voyeuristically checking out other people’s lives.
And online, people tend to post the best versions of themselves, perhaps exaggerating where necessary.
So this leaves all of us onlookers often feeling like we don’t quite measure up… like we’ve fallen behind and need to play catch up, neglecting our own progress in the process.
I’m here to give you a bit more clarity.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the signs that you’re doing far better in life than you think.
So if a few of these signs sound familiar, rest assured, you’re in a pretty good place.
Let’s get to it!
1) You have stable relationships
We live in a day and age where success is pretty much synonymous with, well, getting rich.
But in reality, feeling “successful” can come in many different forms.
Some of the most successful people I know have modest bank accounts but maintain fulfilling relationships, at home or with friends.
Meanwhile, I know people have great salaries but overwork to oblivion and go home to empty apartments.
It’s all about perspective… and priorities.
So if you have a loving family or supportive, meaningful friendships to turn to at the end of the day, you have quite a lot to be thankful for; since these are things money cannot buy.
Real talk.
2) You prioritize personal growth
Life isn’t a competition.
Sure, a few rare people might become millionaires straight out of college, while most of us struggle to make ends meet.
But the truth is… it doesn’t matter if you’re 22 or 62, if you’re growing and maturing as a person, you’re doing better than you think.
You’d be surprised how many people never learn from their mistakes, sticking to old ways excessively, even when it’s to their detriment.
The thing is, you won’t become truly successful if you don’t accept and embrace change.
You won’t become successful if you don’t learn from your past and experiences, and grow mentally, emotionally, intellectually, and so on.
So if you have this level of self-awareness; if you wake up each day feeling like a better person than you were the day before, you’re doing well for yourself.
3) You have financial stability
I’m not going to lie to you and say money isn’t important. It is.
You need money to live.
You don’t have to be the next Jeff Bezos, but if you’re able to manage your finances responsibly, pay your bills on time, save for the future, and put food on the table each day, you’re in a better place than you think.
I have a very good friend who graduated from one of the top business schools in the world.
During his time there, he studied and mingled with well-connected, well-heeled people–the kind who come from generational wealth.
Many of these global “nepo babies” have gone on to create their own thriving companies or work in extremely high-paying positions.
Now my friend is no pauper himself. He does well. He has a great job.
But he sees how his business school peers are doing, and he perpetually feels like he’s lagging behind.
Rather than focus on himself, and his journey, he measures his financial success relative to how everyone else is doing.
Once you get into that cycle, it can be incredibly unhealthy and counterproductive, negating any genuine gains.
Remember, growth is linear.
4) You have a work-life balance
I have another great friend, Juan, who founded his own interior design company.
Now the company is doing very well, with a very consistent stream of new clients and netting highly respectable profits.
But Juan is constantly stressed out.
He typically works from 8 am until well into the evening.
He has no real social life; he has no time for hobbies; no dating life; no time to lie around and mindlessly watch Netflix.
Juan has no work-life balance–and he knows it.
He often tells me how he dreams of dropping everything and moving to Asia, living off whatever income he can find.
He’s become increasingly aware that the lengthy, arduous work hours just aren’t worth it.
The constant stress and lack of self-care aren’t worth his monthly paycheck. The juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
Hopefully, Juan finds more balance soon–or he risks burnout.
The bottom line is, if you’re able to successfully balance your work (or academic) responsibilities with personal time, then chances are, you’re in a good place–regardless of where you are on the career ladder.
5) You’re a resilient person
Success is a mentality.
The most successful people in life are those who stay resilient and determined in the face of challenges.
The reason why many people settle for mediocrity is because they give up easily, sometimes even at the first sight of hardship.
Adversity is a given in this life.
The journey to achieving great things is rarely ever smooth; it’s filled with stress, worry, tragedy, and so on.
Many don’t have the stomach for these things.
So if you’re a resilient person and can bounce back from life’s inevitable setbacks, and continue to move forward with greater wisdom and strength, then you’re bound for exceptional things in life… even if you haven’t necessarily achieved them yet.
6) You are health conscious
You’ve heard it from others when things in life aren’t going too well: “At least you have your health.”
This isn’t just an empty cliche; your health is a big deal, so if you don’t take it for granted, you’re doing better in life than you think.
As established, many people will overwork, thus finding excuses to be lazy and neglect their physical and mental health.
Maybe they’ll blame work as a reason for staying sedentary, drinking excessively, or “stress eating” junk food in copious amounts.
So if you’re the type of person to look after yourself, and make the regular effort to eat properly, be active, and manage stress, you’re already in better shape (no pun intended) than most people.
7) You make a positive impact
As you may have gathered by now, success isn’t solely about your monetary standing in life.
At the end of the day, helping other people is what it’s all about… it’s the quality that will genuinely fulfill you in life, more than money or any other material possessions.
So if you tend to use your energy towards making a positive societal difference in some way, be it contributing to your community, doing volunteer work, or simply being kind and courteous to other human beings, you’re doing better in life than you think.
Keep at it. It’s time you give yourself a bit more credit.
