I am starting to realize that there will always be someone “better.” No matter how hard you work there will always be someone who: saves more for retirement, gets a better deal, finishes faster, loses weight more easily, pays down their loans faster, drives less, uses less energy, ad infinitum. Furthermore with the advent of the internet, they might just tell you so. I really can’t tell you how many times I’ve read a pf blog and the author talks about ways you can save in X area, and everyone writes in to say just how much they saved in X area as if it’s a contest. The same goes for other types of “achievements” like recycling and athletics as well. But you know what I’m starting to realize, truly realize: it is not in fact a contest. If you can meet your goals, then you have won. If really doesn’t matter if Jenny in Wisconsin only spent $1625 on a wedding and you spent $6500 if you had the wedding that you wanted and paid for it responsibly. You probably could get married for less than $5o, but would you want that? And even if you are the person who is “better”, what exactly does that get you, in and of itself? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that there aren’t tangible benefits to savings and responsible spending, exercise, conservation, etc., but I think when we are seeking to make achievements at a certain level simply for the bragging rights, we lose sight of what’s really important. For example, if the cost of your wedding is the most important thing to you (whether it be high or low), personally I think that you’ve pretty much missed the point. And if you only run races to win them, you’ll miss out on so many good moments because you’re worried about someone else being better.