The Inner Block Party : Worrying about the Joneses

A good definition of wasted focus, is when folks worry about all of the wrong things. And those things happen to be nothing that pertains to them, but to someone else. Some people constantly look over their shoulder, and all over the place at what someone else seems to be doing. The dance of avoidance, because not putting energy into your own situation creates a two step around your own central issues. So many people are worried or concerned about what everyone else is doing, and how they manage to do it. So they look, snoop around, ask other folks, or try their best to emulate what they believe is going on.
Now there is nothing wrong with seeing what folks do to an extent if you admire them, or want to take tips from them on how they do something, ask why they are successful, and apply it to yourself. But that is drastically different than wondering what they have, trying to figure out how someone got to where they are in a devious fashion, while not working on your own situation, and just hemming and hawing that you don't have what they have.
Too many times people don't like the situation that they are in, and do nothing about it, while worrying about the Joneses. They want what they have, they wish they were them, or they can't stand them for what they have. The metaphor goes even deeper because that is often a microcosm for what's wrong with their lives to begin with. The central issue is them, and what they need to do for and with themselves, but they constantly look over at someone else to see what they've got going on. And if the central issue is yourself, and you dance all over the place to avoid it, then you are doomed to failure. Money, and possessions are not always coveted. Self esteem, confidence, determination, and intellect, are all things that folks look at others and wish that they had. Well the truth is that they can have those very things. Maybe not in the context of that individual exactly, but they can have it to the best of their abilities. By worrying about the neighbor across the fence, or the person  walking down the street, you paint yourself into a corner that you will always be stuck in.
You start attending what I call the inner block party where you try your best to get in good with the Joneses, and show them that you can keep up as well. Once again a metaphor for talking about things that you don't know, trying to be someone that you are not, and spend what you don't have, all in an effort to impress and show that you are as good or better, and that you can hang with the crowd that you wish you were in. Trying to fit in through deception, or impersonation is also doomed because they are all not genuine. If you desire to do something, then do it for the right reason, and that reason is because you want to do it, and not because someone else is doing it, or you want to impress someone by doing it, or that someone told you that you must do it. Do it because you have a burning desire to do it, and do it well. That is the only way that it will be successful because you are the one behind it, and the motivation is genuine, and strong.
The Joneses will always be there in everyone's life. Forget them. They mean nothing. If you happen to attain the level of the Joneses then there will be more Joneses on the horizon, and you will always be competing with something unimportant.  The central issue is not them. it is yourself, so compete with you to make yourself, your life, and situation better. Take yourself away from the inner block party. And have a good time doing some in house cleaning and rearranging.