This question plaques a lot of creatives and anyone in a career trying to put their work out there -
“How do I stop comparing myself to everyone around me?”
We’re all looking at other work from other people thinking, “why am I not as good as they are?” Instead of asking yourself that, focus on the one thing that really matters - you and your work.
Forget everyone else and if you’re looking at other content that makes you question yourself, it’s time to get away from looking in the first place and renew your mind to, “I am enough, my work deserves to be shown, let’s keep learning.” I know it’s easier said than done, but here are some tips to overcome comparison.
Start stacking your work against people you look up to.
Edward Lee talks about stacking your work against people that you admire.
I don’t care how successful you are, we all have at least one person we look up to because of what they’ve achieved or created.
And if you say you don’t, you’re lying.
We are all greatly influenced by the content we consume and the creators we surround ourselves with.
This means most of your creativity isn’t original at all. It’s a reflection of the work that came before you.
And that’s not a bad thing either!
Your “standard” for what you consider a great final edit or project comes from the creators you admire.
But here’s the key: instead of just subconsciously stacking your work against theirs, start doing it intentionally.
Take their process apart and figure out what works for you.
As Edward says, reverse engineer what they did.
When you can break it down, you can learn faster and replicate those results in your own unique way.
Have urgency.
It’s easy to get comfortable and lose sight of how valuable your time really is.
If you want to level up quickly, you need to act with urgency.
Put down your phone, get off Instagram, and focus on creating.
This doesn’t mean rushing or compromising on quality, it means the actions you take should have intention.
Every task, every project should move you forward.
Urgency comes from understanding that you can’t afford to waste time on things that don’t matter.
Am I perfect with this? Nah. I’m only human, but trying my best to be better at it.
Focus on the long game.
While urgency is key, it’s just as important to focus on the long game.
Success doesn’t happen overnight and don’t get me wrong, small wins are great.
But the creators you admire reached their level by thinking beyond immediate gratification.
I tell myself all the time when I’m questioning myself or want to do a specific project, “It’s all good Blake, just be calm. Be present.”
I believe in you. You got this.
Speaking of the idea of being calm, this video popped up for me the other day from an actors roundtable produced by the Hollywood Reporter where Robert De Niro talks about just staying calm -
Just Be Calm
If you’re curious about the full video, that’s linked down below. Great actors, great insight and an in depth look on their roles in film.
My music pick
This song has been HITTIN this last week, been on more than I’d like to admit 😅 Tune in and get after it -
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Thanks for being here, I appreciate you. Have a great day.
Best,
Blake