About this quote

Think about where you place your finish line. If matching someone else is your target, you can stop when you hit their level instead of pushing beyond it. Use that friction to pick a goal that forces you to learn or fail a little. Then pick one concrete step this month that moves you past parity and do it.

When to use it

• At a salary review you tell your manager, "I'm not asking to match someone else's pay — I want the title and targets that fit my impact," and you use the line to justify asking for a promotion.
• Before marathon training starts, you tell your coach, "I'm not out to match the fastest pack — I want a target time that makes me change my schedule," and you use the line to push your workouts.
• When applying for a competitive scholarship you tell your advisor, "I want the top fellowship, not just enough to scrape by," then add an extra research project to your application.
• While planning retirement with your partner you say, "Let's aim for financial independence, not just the local average," and you increase your monthly savings by a fixed percent.