A story has stayed with me for a long time. The idea is simple: some people try to become the tallest building by tearing other buildings down.
I think about that image often because it feels uncomfortably true. And if I am honest, because I am human too.
The Trap of Comparison
It is easy to get distracted by what other people are doing. Easy to compare, get frustrated, or lose focus on the work right in front of you.
But tearing someone else down does not actually make you stronger. It does not improve your leadership, your work, or your mission.
At best, it creates the illusion of progress. In reality, it is usually wasted energy.
Build Your Own Building
The better path is harder, but cleaner. Focus on your own foundation instead of somebody else’s flaws.
Pay attention to the quality of your work, the consistency of your effort, and the way you treat people along the way. That is where real growth comes from.
Confidence is built the same way. Not by cutting others down, but by doing the work to become better yourself.
What Leadership Really Looks Like
I think this matters a lot in leadership. Critiquing others is easy, but building something people trust is much harder.
Leadership is not about standing over someone else’s rubble. It is about creating something solid enough that others want to join, contribute to, and grow within.
That means putting energy into what you are building rather than what you resent.
A Reminder I Still Need
I do not always get this right. Like most people, I have moments where I have to reset and refocus on the work that is actually mine to do.
That is why this story sticks with me. It reminds me that the goal is not to look taller by diminishing someone else.
The goal is to keep building something worth standing beside. One decision, one brick, and one honest effort at a time.
