It can be hard to keep up with life, particularly when people around you have reached milestones that you haven't. Whether it's buying a house, getting married, having children or building a successful career, comparison can make it easy to overlook your own achievements. A TikTok creator, @jenniferlatch, is telling people in their 30s that they don't need to judge their lives by someone else's timeline.
The video was posted on Sept. 16 with the caption, "For my friends in your 30s, stop comparing yourself to Brad, Ashley and Jessica." She also shares a message reinforcing the idea that you can start at any point and still work toward achieving your goals.
In the video, Latch gives viewers three hypothetical examples of people who might make someone feel inadequate: Brad, who works from home in Texas and drives an expensive car; Ashley, who dates a wealthy tech professional and has a 3-carat lab-grown diamond; and Jessica, who has children and has already sold a company. These examples illustrate different milestones that people might associate with success.
@jenniferlatch For my friends in your 30s stop comparing yourself to Brad, Ashley and Jessica ?? You can start from right where you are and go anywhere you want. #learnontiktokcontest #advice
♬ original sound - Jennifer Latch
Latch acknowledges that people can feel as though they're falling behind even when they've achieved some of their goals. She also says that those who seem to be ahead of others may experience similar feelings. Constant comparison is not a useful way to measure one's own progress. The creator adds that there's a difference between wanting to improve one's life and becoming so focused on the future that one fails to appreciate present accomplishments.
Latch also offers a simple plan for those who want to change their lives. She argues that people should decide what they want to achieve, determine what it will take to reach that goal, identify the first step and then decide whether they're willing to put in the required effort.
So, no matter what someone is aiming for, whether it's improving a skill, starting a business or pursuing a personal project, breaking a larger goal into smaller, manageable steps can make it easier to get started.
People can also reconsider the goals they truly want to pursue, since seeing another person's life as desirable doesn't mean that making the same choices will lead to the same outcome for everyone. The video prompted viewers who feel pressured to keep up with others to share their thoughts. For example, one commenter wrote that they had recently begun asking themselves whether they truly wanted what others had or were letting society dictate how their lives should look. Another person said they had just turned 30 and needed to hear the message.
Many other commenters said Latch was inspiring and thanked her for sharing advice they felt was much-needed in their 30s.
