Stop Comparing Yourself to Other People

Welcome to those visiting from the blog of World Class speaker Paul Evans where I’m honored to be guest posting. If you are new to Tales of Work stay up to date, and get an inspirational manifesto as a bonus:

I remember how excited I was when my first book finally came out, I thought for sure I would sell enough copies in the first few months to quit my job. Why did I think that?

I had read the story of Amanda Hocking who sold one million eBooks in six months doing nothing more than the things that I was doing, so I thought for sure I would sell at least ten thousand copies

When the book came out I sold three copies on the first day, I didn’t understand. I was doing everything Amanda did, why didn’t I have the same results?

We start comparing pretty early in life

Growing up with two brothers we were always comparing what we did. If my brother got a B in school, I had to get an A. Even when we were in high school we always had to compare ourselves to other kids. I think growing up and having that attitude engrained in us, it carries over with us as adults.

Whether you’re working a traditional job, running your own business or chasing your dreams, you won’t make any progress comparing what you’re doing to what someone else is doing.

You have to focus on your own efforts

I spent so much time trying to copy Amanda Hocking and do things exactly how she did them, it was a bad strategy because we don’t even write about the same things. Every step I took I would run to her website and compare that step to the step she made at the point I was at, wrong, wrong, wrong!

Whatever you’re doing it starts with research and yes you will research people who have done what you’re trying to do. However, once you’ve done the research, it’s time for you to form YOUR own game plan. Once you have your plan, it’s time to move forward and take action.

There will be a natural tendency to go back and see how you’re doing compared to someone else, don’t do it. If you have made more progress than that person, then you’ll get a false sense of success. If you’ve made less progress, then you’ll get discouraged and start doubting yourself. Focus on you and your plan, this isn’t a competition, this is your life.

You have to move at your own pace

I touched on this a little bit but everybody has to do things at a pace that makes them comfortable. I have been pounding the ground hard so that I can quit my day job at the end of this year, my friend William is moving a little slower. My contract at my job ends at the end of this year, so I have a lot more urgency, he stills has a few years before he has to worry about that.

So it’s only natural that I’m moving at a faster pace and talking to him he is completely fine with that. If you see others moving slower or faster than you keep going at the pace that makes you comfortable. The key is to make sure that no matter what, you’re making some kind of progress forward.

Comparing yourself to others will be your downfall

With anything that you’re doing to better your life you’ll always have doubt. When you look and compare what you’re doing to other people, you feed into that doubt. You run the risk of getting discouraged and feeling like a failure.

You may feel like you’re behind and take steps that you’re not ready for that could ruin everything you’ve done. You’ll make a mess, you’ll add to your doubt and eventually give up.

If you have been guilty of comparing yourself or your progress to others, then please stop today! It’s not healthy, it’s not smart and it won’t help you move forward. Stick to your plan and the way you’re implementing that plan, this has to be a personal journey.

Have you been guilty of comparing yourself to someone else?