Comparison Is the Thief of Joy

After I wrote about the boys’ birthday, a few people asked me what their favorite toy was. It’s different every day, but without question their current favorite toy is the one their brother is playing with. And we often experience a meltdown when their brother does not relinquish it to them.

The toy could have been sitting at the bottom of the toy chest for months, out of sight and out of mind. But as soon as their brother has rediscovered it and starts to play with it, that toy is all they can think about.

It’s human nature to notice what others have, but I am convinced that comparison is the thief of joy. That quote, commonly attributed to our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, also comes with a bit of advice: Focus on your own path.

Toddler boys sitting on a chair, each holding their own book
I think Theo is looking to see if he would prefer to have Max’s book instead.
Twin toddlers riding small bikes outside on a track and wearing helmets
It helps when we have two identical toys with their names on them.  

It’s not just a phenomenon among toddlers. I see adults coveting what their neighbors have. I hear people all the time comparing Illinois with other states.

It’s true that Illinois does not have mountains or an ocean. But we do have amazing state parks and one of the Great Lakes and many rivers.

Looking at what other states have might rob us of the joy that we have here, but I believe my office compares favorably with our peers. If you like to compare, I think you will like these points:

  • We’ve turned one of the lowest-rated 529 College Savings plans in the country into one of the highest-rated programs, according to Morningstar, Forbes, Business Insider, Kiplinger, and the Motley Fool.
  • We completed the largest Money Match program in the country under our ICash missing money program when we sent more than 400,000 checks to Illinois citizens.
  • Illinois was the first state in the country to enact retirement security legislation that includes a state-administered retirement program, a program we are improving and relaunching as My Illinois Savings. Sixteen other states have since followed our lead.
  • We were also the first state in the country to pass a treasurer-run infrastructure fund that is putting people to work in Illinois and making our businesses more competitive. Other states have since reached out to us to see how they can do the same and we’re always happy to help.
  • Several states, including Indiana and North Dakota, are following the lead of our Illinois Growth and Innovation Fund that already has created over 20,000 jobs.
  • We returned the largest single unclaimed property in the country at $11 million to the heirs of a late Chicago man, and $2.6 billion through ICash since I took office.
  • We also have the largest and oldest Ag Invest program in the country, having guaranteed more than $6 billion in operating and long-term loans to help keep our farmers productive. Illinois is #1 in soybean production and #2 in corn.

We shouldn’t spend a lot of time comparing ourselves with others, but when we do (it is human nature, after all), I hope this list is a reminder that Illinois can innovate and compete with the very best.

Sincerely,
Michael

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