How To Break Free From The Comparison Trap that is Keeping You Stuck

It never fails. Each March, when we open Elite Blog Academy® up to the public, a new wave of students brings a sense of infinite possibilities, energy, and excitement.

But, a few months into the course, there are always a handful of students who can’t help but get caught up in what everyone else is doing. They start comparing their own progress and ideas to others in the course, and they begin to doubt themselves.

Instead of focusing on their work and the clear path that has been laid out for them in the course, they can’t stop looking elsewhere. The thing is, they fear that they are just not measuring up because it seems like everyone else is doing bigger and better things. They hit a wall and have a hard time making any progress.

You see, comparison breeds discontentment, and ultimately there is no way to win that game. Click to Tweet

Luckily, In Episode 23 of the Do It Scared™ Podcast, I share some simple techniques that you can use to stay out of the muck of comparison.

We get so stuck in comparing ourselves and our lives and our progress and our success to other people. And whether you are trying to build a business, trying to manage your home, trying to get promoted at work, or simply trying to create a life you LOVE, comparison is a giant trap that will suck you in and not let go.

But, there IS a way to avoid the comparison trap that brings so many people down.

So let’s talk about three very practical techniques you can try the next time you feel yourself getting lost down that comparison trail.

Comparison breeds discontentment, and ultimately there is no way to win that game. Click to Tweet

KNOW WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE TO YOU

The first essential step is to get completely clear about what you want most of all, as well as getting clear about your priorities, and about the path you will need to take.

I think the biggest reason that comparison is so sinister is that it doesn’t happen on an equal playing field. What you want, and what you view as success, is a destination that is unique to you. That means that often the people we are comparing ourselves to are on a completely different journey—one with different rules and different objectives.

Your journey is your journey, and ultimately creating a life you love means recognizing exactly what is most important and most meaningful to you. But it also means understanding that what is important and meaningful to you will not be the same as what is important and meaningful for other people, and vice versa. And that’s okay.

PUT YOUR BLINDERS ON

Action is the antidote to fear. Click to Tweet

Once you’ve defined what success looks like to you, and created an action plan on how to get there, then the easy part is done! The reality is, dealing with distractions, putting your head down, keeping your blinders on, trusting the plan, and actually doing the work—that’s the hard part!

Action is the antidote to fear. And the secret to success that so many people never realize is that as long as you keep those small steps in one direction, you will get there eventually.

PRACTICE GRATITUDE

In our everyday lives, comparison almost always leads to discontentment—this feeling that what we have, or what we’ve accomplished, or where we are at right now isn’t good enough. And while not all discontentment is bad—sometimes we need that gentle nudge to encourage us to face our fears or make a change—the angst that comes from feeling that what we have is lacking in comparison to someone else is not generally a good thing.

But gratitude turns that all around.

Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, we need to focus on what we do have. Instead of beating ourselves up for what we haven’t yet accomplished, we need to celebrate the little milestones along the way. Instead of only looking forward to what still on the horizon, we also need to look back and acknowledge how far we’ve come.

Creating a life you LOVE starts with appreciating the life you have. Click to Tweet