Living by Experience

Living by Experience

Share this post

Living by Experience
Living by Experience
The Story We Tell About Ourselves
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

The Story We Tell About Ourselves

Wilko van de Kamp's avatar
Wilko van de Kamp
Oct 07, 2023
∙ Paid

Share this post

Living by Experience
Living by Experience
The Story We Tell About Ourselves
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Share

So often we end up comparing ourselves to “others”. When we compare we always lose, and put someone else on a pedestal. We look up to our idols, our icons, our heroes. In comparison to them we tend to focus on the qualities that they have, and we do not.

Yet every “successful” or even famous person I’ve met and spoken to has their own personal struggle with areas of their lives they don’t always share publicly. When they share their story for a larger audience, they tend to focus on their accomplishments, not their struggles. We only see a part of their story – which is the part they choose to share, the story they choose to tell. It’s not an untrue story, it’s just a focus they use to look even more successful to us.

The difference with our personal story is that we know every detail about it: the good, the bad and the ugly. Yet we can learn from those we look up to by telling our story in a positive light. We have the ability to allow ourselves to make a different choice about what st…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Living by Experience to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Living by Experience
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More