The post was originally published in Polish on Szymon’s LinkedIn profile. Szymon kindly agreed to republish what we think is of great value to our readers.
‘I am irritated by other people’s success. As soon as I open social media, I see only winners who boast about new achievements every day. These should inspire me, stimulate me to act, motivate me to become a better version of myself. Meanwhile – they simply annoy you because of their sheer number and artificiality. What can you do?’
Szymon Janiak, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Czysta3.VC
This is one of those issues that concern many people, but no one wants to admit it because it is not appropriate. After all, you have to enjoy the successes of others and look for value in them. You cannot be envious and petty. Only – how to do it when you have the impression that everyone around you is triumphant except you? How to feel inspired when you have made a mistake again, your career is stagnant and problems are piling up, and every time you open the phone, it’s a veritable wave of candy careers.
The problem is that we have created this trap for ourselves. We are no longer able to enjoy what we have. Got a promotion? Apparently ok, but a friend became the president. Do I have a million in revenue in a new company? I saw that the competitor did fifteen. I bought a house? Well, yes, but a friend has a bigger one… It never ends. It will always be better for someone.
Everyone seems to know that social media is a theater, but when you see all these victories every day, it’s easy to get frustrated. We are pulling ourselves with illusion in a world where everyone repeats like a mantra that you have to be better. You have to keep going. You need to have more.
However, instead of constantly comparing yourself and pushing forward thoughtlessly, it is worth simply slowing down or even stopping. Do it to see what you have achieved over the years and just start enjoying it. Not to show someone or prove something, but simply to do it for themselves. This will make the world much more beautiful.
The comment section had to add:
Few people boast about real successes on LI, e.g. I left the office at 4 PM, spent time with my children, and in the evening I talked for a few hours with my wife. Because in Poland, success is the culture of working yourself into a heart attack or stroke at the age of 60.
– Patryk Cichoracki, IT Solution Manager at CAŇBI
Pride comes when we compare ourselves with the ‘worse,’ frustration when we meet the ‘better.’ We all walk between these two worlds, and we are all at risk of losing our balance, whether it is leaning to one side or the other. How to find balance? Go ahead and do your own thing. Does this mean selfishness? No. Because only by remaining sustainable can we really help others. It’s like the safety rule on an airplane, first oxygen for us, then for others.
– Maksymilian Godek, COO and Owner at MDFILM
There may be a cure for this: You need to talk to people who have been in business a little longer, who are no longer afraid to talk openly about their experiences and problems. Suddenly, it turns out that when there is something wrong with me, we all have similar challenges and problems and, interestingly, in many cases we fight them in a similar way. But if you don’t have such a point of reference and there are only the ones on social media, you quickly start building a false image in your head.
Another remedy is to carefully look at these successes. In social media, one page is usually published, incomplete and heavily embellished. When you start to discover what’s underneath, you quickly build a ‘bullshit detector’ in yourself and you can look at these successes more calmly.
– Dariusz Michalski, Founder and CEO at USEO
I think that the only right comparison exists only in the area: Me vs Me from yesterday.
Instagram, Linkedin, etc. are indeed a breeding ground for success, great habits, and continuous productivity, but it is also worth remembering that it is up to us what we observe and, what is very important: How we react to it. If something irritates us, demotivates us and simply makes us feel worse, then it should be blocked and that’s it, a button like any other.
– Norbert Uselis, Co-Founder and CEO at Loop Studio
Is it worth slowing down, letting go when you are not the first or the second? Is a place in the top 10 or top 50 not enough? Is it worth giving up because someone has done more, better, faster? This post reminds me very much of the fairy tale about the tortoise and the hare.
What annoys does not always demotivate, nor does it always drive. Everyone has their own Mount Everest.
– Katarzyna Markowska-Łukasik, Office Manager at TECH-MASTERS Polska
Szymon Janiak is an investor and a business-driven Managing Director at czysta3.vc, a Venture Capital fund located in Poland. He has over 10 years of experience in the technology sector. Szymon is also a Member of the Supervisory Board at stockbroker Grupa Trinity S.A.
