Do you play the comparison game?

How often do you compare yourself to others?

Stop and think about it right now.

I think most people would say “not much” and in reality, we do it all the time…

But no one wants to admit it.

You’re scrolling through social media and see your friend is featured in a magazine. Another connection just published a book. Someone else landed a big deal.

It’s hard NOT to compare your life to the life of others when you’re on a similar path.

Or they’re on the path you want.

A friend of mine sent me a video on Instagram this week, and the moment I watched it, I knew I had to share it here.

In the video, a speaker brings two people on stage.

He asks a teenage girl if she can dance, then prompts her to do it, so she does. (Wow, the guts! Impressive.)

Then he turns around and asks a baby to dance. Clearly she’s a baby, so she doesn’t even know what he’s talking about. He says, “That’s all you got?”

The teenage girl is 15.

The baby is almost one.

The baby will eventually be capable of doing everything the teen girl did, right? But she’s not there yet. She’s a baby.

And it is absolutely ridiculous to compare the skills of a one-year-old to those of a 15-year-old.

Every one of us knows this intellectually.

So why in the world do we do it to ourselves?

I’ve found myself comparing and stealing my own joy many times during my entrepreneurial journey.

Early on, I compared myself to other successful female entrepreneurs and wondered if I would ever be where they are.

I compared myself to the uber-connected startup people that all seemed to know each other while I was nearly in tears in the bathroom at networking events.

I compared myself to what I perceived to be “good mothers” that dedicated their lives to their kids while I was starting a company and following my own dreams. (The guilt! Don’t get me started on this one.)

I would be lying if I said I don’t do it anymore… now I’m just making different comparisons.

I have a mantra that I use every single time I find myself comparing:

I will clap for others until it’s my time.

Your friend’s journey is not the same as your journey. Your coworker’s journey is not the same as your journey. That one social media influencer’s journey is not the same as your journey.

Your journey is unique to you.

Someday, I hope to throw in the towel on the comparison game (if that’s possible).

The more we give our brains this message, the more we’ll internalize it.

If you struggle with comparison, too, I hope this message reaches you today.

And if you want to watch the powerful video I mentioned above, it’s in the comments.