People love to talk about equality and equal opportunities. While the sentiment is fine (yes, we should all be treated with dignity!), this thinking is a bit flawed. We do not all have equal skills, equal backgrounds, and equal interests. We were all born into different situations, with different abilities and innate qualities. Personally, I could never be a doctor (I hate the sight of blood!), so that’s not my path. Others might not be naturally gifted with numbers, but are instead skilled with photography or repairing cars or writing.

To me, this diversity of skills and abilities is wonderful.

If everyone was the same, our society would grind to a halt. We can’t all be CEOs. And we can’t all be electricians, film producers, or dog groomers. We need very different people to fill those very different roles.

The same statement can be made for higher education. Not everyone needs to attend college and earn an advanced degree. That path makes sense for some, of course, but it’s not for everyone. Some people are better suited to trade school or a certificate program, and some do not need to continue their education at all. Before passing judgment on these people, remember that several highly successful entrepreneurs like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were college dropouts!

Fortunately, we live in a country that allows us to be distinct and pursue our unique paths.

We have the freedom to choose our education, pursue our interests, and set our distinct career goals. Trying to put everyone on the same plane hampers that freedom. Of course, some jobs will pay better than others—that’s simply the way the free market works. Some jobs have higher stakes and require a greater level of responsibility. Managing a multi-million-dollar company, for instance, requires more risk and strategy than serving coffee at Starbucks. Though BOTH roles are necessary (of course they are!), it makes sense that one pays more than the other. The company CEO needed to train for years (maybe even a decade or two) before she stepped into her role, while barista training can be accomplished in an afternoon. One slip-up as a CEO could cost the company millions of dollars, while accidentally making a cappuccino instead of a latte will only result in an annoyed customer.

The bottom line is this: We need CEOs and we need baristas, but the two roles are very different and, thus, should come with different advantages and compensation.

It’s human nature to compare ourselves with others (“That person has a nicer house.” “That person makes more money than I do.” “That person has more free time.”). Stop! It doesn’t do any good to measure your self-worth against someone else’s standards. The most important thing is to enjoy life as best you can, figure out your Purpose, and be proud of what you do.

Set your own standards and take comfort in the fact that your skill set is unique. No two people are alike and, to me, that is beautiful.

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