Why You Might Want to Toss Out Your Trophies
Three takeaways:
- The author shares the story of a friend, a major CEO: despite past successes, his recent career struggles have led him to consider removing the trophies of past successes from his office. He feels they mock him, highlighting the downside of holding onto past accolades for too long.
- Trophy-keeping can be an example of what Brooks calls invidious intertemporal autocomparison–an unhappy comparison with a former self. Research shows that the more people champion/covet their past existence, the lower their well-being will be in the present.
- The effort to immortalize our accomplishments is often futile. Triumphs decay with time. However, we can use past achievements to a) celebrate and remember what truly matters in life and to b) guide our paths into the future.
- While you don’t need to erase totems to your past completely, there are three quick ways you keep only the trophies that bring you joy—and that never mock you.
- Get the time frame right: Remember that you are not the person you were when you received your trophy, and that we are always evolving. Golfers who always compare that day’s score to their best score ever forget that each game is part of the overall progression of their skill, and that their progress is what should be celebrated.
- Commemorate what matters: Hold on to trophies from the moments of personal satisfaction, not external validation. Trophies that remind you of the important moments and concepts in life: love, family, overcoming extreme hardship, will remind you that victories in life are not about momentary validation but propelling you in the right direction.
- If the trophies mock you, toss them: The second a physical object brings you anything but joy/pride, toss it. This will bring you into the present, feeling lighter and more in command of your direction.
From Arthur C. Brooks at The Atlantic:
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