Raise the bar

How we assess our current state is important in determining our drive for achieving greater goals. If we base our self-assessment on comparing with friends, then probably we will not be very motivated to achieve much more than our friends have. 

Great historical figures do not do this. They assess themselves based on a higher standard than the average person. They definitely don't simply try to be as good as their friends, rather they seek to be the kind of person that is needed to achieve a great task. 

If we see ourselves in that light, until we reach our lofty goals, we know that we still have a lot to work on in ourselves.