Last night I was browsing LinkedIn going through profiles of co-op students at Waterloo and Laurier and my jaw dropped in jealously. It’s not uncommon to see kids landing internships at the Google, Facebook, and Amazons of the tech world, or top tier consulting firms such as Mckinsey, Bain, or BCG. More than a handful have launched start ups with seed funding and are onto their Series A, with some others managing investments portfolios with flashy figures citing high returns.
Comparing myself to them, I emerged with a sense of diminished self-worth.
“Appearances can be deceptive. Appearances may give you respect but they cannot give you contentment” – Osho
Remembering this quotation helped me realize I shouldn’t pass judgement about other people’s lives, nor be comparing myself.
Likewise, whether I land my job dream job or not, I know that an “appearance of success” may make others respect me, but it won’t necessarily give me contentment deep inside. Happiness in life is more than just building a career.
So, with this blog, I don’t want to set up an illusion of achievement and success. I’m here to share the grind I have to go through, both ups and downs. Not just a handpicked selection of my moments of glory.
I thought Osho’s book was okay, – but this quote put me back on solid ground. It made me mindful of something my friend Ali once told me: “Never let titles determine your self-worth.”