I'm Special

There are moments in my life when I feel miserable. Back in school, I constantly compared myself to others: "I'm not the smartest, not the prettiest, not the funniest." It felt like I was surrounded by geniuses and I wasn't one of them. Over time, that feeling faded, because I realized that comparing yourself to others is an endless race toward an idea that's fundamentally wrong.

I discovered that a person is defined by their own thoughts. In most cases, delusional people win because they believe in themselves more than anything, and their work and energy make others believe in their specialness too.

At some point, that delusional quality started developing in me, and I began to think I could do anything. And the most interesting part that you can control this. The way you think about yourself is who you are — and that perception is a choice. Tell yourself you're special, that whatever you take on will succeed and you'll feel your mood brighten and a surge of energy for the next task.

The comparisons never fully go away. Sometimes thoughts creep in: I'm not the coolest designer, I haven't made anything great yet. But now I compare myself to who I was a year ago, where I was then, where I am now, how much my skills have grown.

So I keep repeating to myself: maybe I'm not the most talented, creative, smart, or funny in the room, but there's something that makes me ME. And that helps me create a different reality. A reality where I'm special.

Also, I love this Steve Jobs video.