How to Save Yourself from the Comparison Trap

Stop comparing apples to oranges

Sep 22, 2022

Have you ever found yourself envying the earnings or position of another non-techie?

I have!

A few months ago, a friend sent me the profile of a content marketer (let’s call her Rachael) earning $89,000! Yes, you read right. Eighty-nine fucking thousand dollars!

While I pride myself as someone who rarely envies other people, I couldn’t help but compare myself with Rachael.

I mean, why wouldn’t I?

She was merely a year ahead of me in terms of experience. I also had more certifications and had written many works just like her.

And so, I berated myself. I reduced myself to a failure whose hard work has been futile. I found myself drowning in a sea of shame and ridicule.

Thankfully, my inner voice saved me by convincing me to find inspiration in my jealousy. To turn the green in me to glee. Glee from learning more about Rachael’s story.

Like Abraham obeyed the voice of the Lord, I followed my inner voice. I reached out to Rachael to learn and share her story on the Piggyvest blog.

Speaking to Rachael, I realized her journey was completely different from mine. I recognized how working for certain companies opened doors for her and made her get to her current position. I saw how unlike me, she had positioned herself for international opportunities early enough.

I didn’t approach my career the way she did, hence the difference in our trajectories. More importantly, I learned to appreciate my own career path. I didn’t see how much I had grown until I looked back.

Yes, I’m not earning $89,000 yet. But I’m far from where I used to be. I’m earning comfortably for my age and positioning myself well for great international opportunities as well.

“So why waste time envying Rachael?” I asked myself. “Why not use her story as a motivation to get better instead?”

I see people like Rachael — from LinkedIn to Twitter — every other day. But rather than getting engulfed in envy and jealousy, I acknowledge the BTS (behind-the-scenes) — luck, hard work, rejections, privilege — of their stories.

If they work in my field, I peep into their professional profiles to decipher skills and positions that possibly helped them achieve their current status. If they don’t, I simply remind myself that this might be their day 50, and comparing my day 1 to it will be a disservice.

Sometimes, I ignore them and keep moving. A career is a slice of the pie, and it shouldn’t be responsible for a rotten taste in my mouth. There’s more to life.

The point of this story?

Stop comparing your career to other non-techies’. Falling into the comparison trap only: