The Perfection of Others

Other people, other groups, other organizations, other countries seem to do it <replace with the topic of your choice> effortlessly. They’re better. They’re having more fun. Those are feelings all of us experience.

 

Morgan Housel argues that it almost certainly isn’t true. Ask yourself if what you are seeing is the complete picture about that entity. Chances are that it isn’t.

“There’s a filter. Skills are advertised, flaws are hidden.”

Even seemingly coherent teams aren’t that way, if only you could pull back the curtain:

“All the messy personalities and difficult decisions that you only see when you’re inside, in the trenches.”

And no, others aren’t having a better life than you all the time:

“Instagram is full of beach vacation photos, not flight delay photos.”

 

There’s even a saying about this:

“The grass is always greener on the side that’s fertilized with bullshit.”

 

Occasionally, we do get to learn of the cracks behind the perfect life of famous figures. Think of Diana. Warren Buffett. Elon Musk. Andre Agassi.

“Sometimes the behind-the-scenes isn’t tragic but is just as revealing.”

 

All of which is why Housel says we’d do well to remember that:

“When you are keenly aware of your own struggles but blind to others’, it’s easy to assume you’re missing some skill or secret that others have.”

 

Lastly, there’s a great learning in all of the above:

“Everyone’s dealing with problems they don’t advertise, at least until you get to know them well. Keep that in mind and you become more forgiving – to yourself and others.”