I hate to inform you but you are really not as good as…
It may sound depressing to hear this type of “smack-you-in-the-face” revelation but you need to hear and accept this fact.
Even though this may sound like gloom and doom news, there is a bright side to this equation… Others are not as good as you.
Stay with me now instead of dismissing this notion as quackery. The point I want to make is when you want to BE like someone else, you will never be as good as that person.
Trying to imitate another person only gets you as far as second place. It is playing a game that you can never win.
In the movie, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Goldmember, (a how-to resource that can help you overcome all adversity and put you on the path to everlasting happiness), Dr. Evil has a cloned sidekick named Mini-me. Mini-me is a smaller version of Dr. Evil but Mini-me has many shortcomings (no pun intended). Mini-me is merely a copy, not the original. Mini-Me will never be as good as being Dr. Evil than Dr. Evil.
The takeaway that when you try to be like someone else, you will fail every time.
For example, Dr. Evil was the best at being Dr. Evil, just as:
Mini—Me was the best at being Mini-Me.
Babe Ruth was the best at being Babe Ruth.
Albert Einstein was the best at being Albert Einstein.
Serena Williams is the best at being Serena Williams.
And You are the best at being you
Okay, I agree with you that the Dr. Evil example was a horrible analogy, so let’s go in a different direction.
In sports, many young talented athletes are tagged as the “next…” Young skilled athletes are touted as the “next Peyton Manning”, the “next Michael Phelps” the “next Kobe Bryant” or the next “Alex Morgan. These lofty comparisons are meant as complimentary to describe an athlete’s potential. Unfortunately, these labels can cause more harm than good.
Trying to be someone else causes three profound problems:
Trying to be like someone else is IMPOSSIBLE! Attempting the impossible causes anxiety, under-performance, decimated confident and a confused self-concept.
Trying to be like someone else always results in failure. No matter how hard you try, you will miss the mark, every time.
Trying to be like someone else place limits upon you. What if you could be better than Ruth, Williams (or Dr. Evil)? Being the best YOU opens the door to wide-open, vast potential. IMITATION leads to LIMITATION!
Let us all agree that the world does not need another “whoever”. The world needs you to be the best you with all your unique, kick-ass contributions. Instead of trying to be the next “whoever”, focusing on being the first and best you. Realize that you are the best you and no one is close.
So let’s take an oath… Stand up and raise your right hand (no, your other right hand) and say out loud, “I solemnly swear to work on being the best version of myself, forge my own path and run my own race”
You totally didn’t do that, did you? That’s okay… As long as you promise yourself to be the best at being you! You truly are the BEST!