Thought

I’ve been struck recently by the power of comparison.

Studies have show time and again that you don’t feel as wealthy as you are, but how wealthy you are when you compare yourself with your peers.

So, if you’re driving a brand-new Toyota and two weeks later your best friend gets a Ferrari, you probably won’t feel great about your car anymore.

Even though you have a brand-new car and there are children starving in Africa, you’ll feel bad because of the Ferrari.

Crazy, isn’t it?

This is how powerful the mental frames you use to view your circumstances are. They have the power to make you feel bad when you have every reason to be grateful.

This is the negative aspect of comparison, but you can, like almost everything in life, turn it to your advantage.

I want to cover a few of the ways I leverage comparison to improve my attitude.

First trick:

Compare your current circumstances with your previous circumstances.

For instance, I used the drive a 1997 Toyota a few years ago, now I drive a 2006 Toyota. Many people would still call it an old car, but it’s new to me. Plus, it’s completely paid off and it’s a great car for the little bit of commuting I do.

Second trick:

When I’m going through a hard time, I call upon my memories of other, harder times. I remember that I survived and came out the better for my struggles.

Remembering what you’ve overcome makes the next obstacle easier to clear.

Third trick:

Go do something HARD.

Reset your threshold for what’s worth bitching about.

If you remain in state of a monotony for too long, you’ll start to whine about little things that don’t matter.

If you notice yourself doing this, the quickest way to nip it in the bud is to go endure something that truly qualifies as difficult.

I promise you’ll see your life in a new and better light.

Tactic

Here’s why you should adopt a “Zero Complaints” policy:

Every time you utter a complaint you accomplish exactly nothing to solve what you’re complaining about while simultaneously throwing a snack to your inner bitch.

Your inner bitch wants you to complain. It feeds off it and grows stronger.

Complaining makes you weak.

The inverse is also true though.

When you want to complain and don’t, you get mentally tougher.

The practice of not giving into whining robs your inner bitch of its snacks.

Try it out.

Tome

Tool

I hope this week’s 4 T’s have your T levels surging!

If you found this newsletter valuable, share it with your friends and colleagues, and invite them to join our brotherhood.

In Victory,

Alex