You can deal with this (or, at least, this is how I deal with this as a parent) by reminding children that there are only twenty-four hours in a day, and everyo

You can deal with this (or, at least, this is how I deal with this as a parent) by reminding children that there are only twenty-four hours in a day, and everyone sets aside some goals[1] while pursuing others, so that they have autonomy to decide what their most important goals. What I've learned as a parent after bringing up four children to at least teen age is that I fare better when I remind my children that they don't have to be like someone else, but they will tend to be happier if they work toward better at something tomorrow than their former selves were yesterday. They largely get to decide what to be best at, based on their interests. (Their interests are informed by economic reality of the job market to a much greater degree than mine were at the same age.) In other words, there is no particular reason to fear children thinking "I am not as good as Peter," if indeed they do not choose to be like Peter.