Success is often presented as a race. We are encouraged to compare our careers, achievements, incomes and milestones with those of the people around us. But constant comparison can make it difficult to recognise our own progress. American author offered a different perspective, suggesting that the most meaningful measure of achievement is not how we perform against others, but how much we grow from where we started.
His words capture this idea simply: “Don’t bother just to be better than others. Try to be better than yourself.”
The quote is widely attributed to Faulkner, one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century. Known for his complex characters and distinctive narrative techniques, Faulkner often explored human ambition, conflict, morality and the psychological struggles that shape people’s lives.
His contribution to literature earned him the Nobel Prize in in 1949. His works, including The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying and Absalom, Absalom!, established him as an important figure in American literature.
What does the quote mean?
At its core, Faulkner’s message is about self-improvement rather than comparison.
Competition is not necessarily harmful. In many situations, it can motivate people to work harder, develop new skills and pursue ambitious goals. However, measuring personal success exclusively against other people can create an endless cycle of comparison.
There will almost always be someone who is ahead in a particular area. Someone may have a better-paying job, greater professional recognition, more financial security or a seemingly faster path to success. If our definition of achievement depends on overtaking those people, satisfaction can remain out of reach.
Faulkner proposes a different benchmark: your previous self.
Instead of asking whether you are more successful than someone else, the question becomes whether you have improved compared with where you were yesterday, last year or even five years ago.
That improvement could involve learning a new skill, becoming more disciplined, handling difficult situations with greater maturity or making progress towards a long-term goal.
Why self-competition can be more meaningful
Comparing ourselves with others often ignores the fact that everyone starts from a different point.
People have different circumstances, opportunities, responsibilities and challenges. Two individuals may appear to be pursuing the same goal while having completely different resources available to them.
Self-comparison provides a more personal measure of progress. A person can look at their own earlier struggles and recognise improvements that may not be visible to anyone else.
This approach can also make setbacks easier to process. Not reaching someone else’s level does not necessarily mean failure. What matters is whether the experience has helped you learn, adapt or move forward.
Dream beyond what seems possible
A longer version of the quote is also widely attributed to Faulkner: “Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do.”
The thought reinforces the importance of setting goals that stretch our abilities. Playing safe may protect us from disappointment, but it can also prevent us from discovering what we are capable of achieving.
Ambitious goals do not guarantee success. They can, however, encourage experimentation, persistence and learning. Even when the original target remains out of reach, the effort involved may leave us stronger or more capable than before.
Progress does not always have to be visible
Personal growth is not necessarily dramatic. It can happen through small changes that accumulate over time.
Reading regularly, improving a professional skill, becoming financially disciplined, taking better care of relationships or simply learning to respond differently to setbacks can all represent meaningful progress.
These achievements may not attract the same attention as promotions, awards or public recognition, but they can fundamentally change a person’s life.
Faulkner’s message is therefore less about abandoning ambition and more about redefining it. The goal is not to stop striving. It is to ensure that the person we are trying to outperform is ultimately our former self.
In a culture increasingly shaped by rankings, visibility and comparison, that can be a powerful distinction.
The next time someone else’s success makes you question your own progress, Faulkner’s advice offers a useful reset: look backwards before looking sideways. Ask what you have learned, what has changed and whether you are moving closer to the person you want to become.
Because sometimes the most meaningful victory is not finishing ahead of someone else. It is recognising that you have moved further than you once thought possible.
