Why You Need to Stop Looking at Other Students’ Resumes Right Now

On a fine Tuesday evening, my friends and I discussed key components for applying to healthcare post-graduate programs at the library. Everyone gave their two cents on extracurriculars, research, volunteering hours, and their jobs. I admired everyone’s achievements and wallowed in an all-too-familiar self-comparison state of mind. Everyone was securing position after position, making incredible leaps in internships to flex on their resume.

We all came back home, and I slumped into my desk chair. Inadequacy clouded my brain, and I felt incompetent compared to my peers. When I reopened my laptop and resumed work, I fell back into my study flow. I engaged with every word on my screen and completed my study session.

It was at this moment that I had a lightbulb moment.

When I worked independently without worrying about others’ achievements, my accomplishments didn’t seem to fall short anymore. I only felt horrible about myself when I pinned myself against other students and their work. However, in the vicinity of my room, nobody else mattered but my work and me. I laughed because I realized how pointless it was to consider looking at someone else’s resume or LinkedIn profile to compare myself. 

When I worked on my own, I could admire how much I improved in my focus, discipline, and priorities. Nobody would understand this to the depth I do because these accomplishments were utterly personal. I wouldn’t even care if someone secured a fantastic leadership role at this point because it has no relevance to my achievements. 

Success became clear to me: This is a you vs. you game. No matter what others are doing, you are the only person that matters. Your academics, your extracurriculars, your preferred study methods, your jobs, your research experience, your X-factor; it’s all about you. 

Becoming that extraordinary candidate for your dream Ph.D. program or top-notch business position is only possible when you recognize that you’re the only important person here. When you see that it’s only you vs. you, you’ll discover a drive, focus, and excellence in you that you didn’t even know existed. You’ll find yourself accomplishing goals efficiently and thinking beyond the normal-sluggish pace at which you’ve worked.  

If it’s a you vs. you game, only you can win. Therefore, it’s futile to peer over your shoulders to check if others are performing better or worse than you. Only you can see your mind works, your study habits, and what you need to improve on. You have the answers to achieve the best version of yourself. 

My words seem like a daunting, stressful, and cliche motivational blog you have heard a million times on other websites or magazines. I get that. If someone had told me this about a month ago, I would have rolled my eyes and continued my day.  

However, I have reached a breaking point when comparing myself with others. I have grown tired of having the slightest room for worrying about others in my headspace. My work, academic achievements, and life experience have become vital to me because they prove my growth for myself. My happiness can no longer be bothered by other people’s plans and accomplishments, as they aren’t relevant to my plans and achievements. 

This approach allows me to exercise my highest potential in academics, work, and happiness. I hope that can be a wake-up call to anyone reading this about performing better and feeling more fulfilled in your career. 

I would love to hear your thoughts about this blog in the comments below!