No one wins the comparison game. It only leads to one of two things: pride or jealousy.

Mark Batterson, Whisper

This quote is so true. Especially with creative types trying to share and promote their work. Each one of us has our own unique style and identity. Sometimes that “speaks” to our audiences in different ways compared to someone else. That is okay.

Your art will not always look like my art and that’s a good thing. Your art my only reach a certain niche audience too. Focus on that audience. You don’t need to compare and get down on yourself if something you made isn’t received as well as someone else.

Inevitably, as Batterson points out in his quote, this type of comparison only leads to one of two outcomes: pride or jealousy.

Pride is a destructive trait for an artist as it looks to elevate itself above others so that it can lord over others who may not be as far along in the career yet. Pride also alienates the people around you as it essentially says that you and your art is better than the next person’s art.

Jealousy, too, is a destructive trait as it damages self-confidence from within. You don’t know any other person’s story or journey to get to where they are today. You don’t know what kind of time they’ve put into their craft or what kind of schooling or training they’ve received. If you are jealous of what someone else has or has created, that is a poverty mindset, where you see yourself as inferior and what you’ve created is somehow less than others.

Instead of comparing yourself, I would challenge you to celebrate others. When you see something you like, tell the writer or creator what you appreciated about it. Share it with others. Some times the journey and process of creating something feels like you are invisible and what you put out there has gone unnoticed. Help others by celebrating their work and their wins.

– Jason