#226

A few weeks ago, I caught myself scrolling through social media - for what I thought was curiosity.

But no, it was actually about quiet comparison.

And even more challenging, it was comparison of the gap.

The gap between ‘everyone else’ and me.

A friend had just shared photos of their new beach house.

Another had been appointed into a new senior position.

Another had a record year in their business.

Yet another had completed an ultra-running event.

I’ve done all of those things or similar enough, that there shouldn’t have been any gap comparison to consider or feel bad about.

But there I was, staring at a lengthy list of unanswered emails, an empty diary, a dwindling bank account, and the vague sense that I wasn’t doing enough.

The internal dialogue was actually “I’m not enough”.

You know that thought?

That subtle gnawing voice squeezing your brain as it measures your insides against someone else’s outsides.

That’s when it hit me:

I was comparing their external world to my internal world.

Their highlight reel to my behind-the-scenes footage.

It’s such an easy trap to fall into and potentially costly from a mental perspective.

Because comparison isn’t just the thief of joy; it’s the thief of perspective.

We rarely know the full story behind someone’s “success.”

The sleepless nights.

The quiet doubts.

The trade-offs.

The personal storms that never make it into the photo frame.

The danger is that when we compare, we stop being students of our own lives and start trying to major in someone else’s.

As you know, a fish doesn’t see the water it swims in.

Likewise, we can become blind to our own progress when we’re constantly looking through someone else’s glasses.

So, here’s the whisper for the week:

Be cautious about comparing anyone else’s external world with your internal world.

The real work isn’t about catching up to them.

It’s about walking alongside your own potential.

Ask yourself:

> What am I proud of that no one else can see?

> Where have I grown quietly, even if it’s not Instagram-worthy?

> What would I notice if I stopped scrolling and started seeing my own water?

> Because the moment you stop comparing, you start appreciating your own progress.