Comparing yourself to other artists is almost inevitable. As the year begins, the networks are filled with announcements, releases, achievements and figures that seem to confirm that everyone else is moving faster than you.
The problem is not seeing what others are doing, but turning this constant comparison into a source of blockage, anxiety and loss of focus.
WHY THE COMPARISON INTENSIFIES AT THE START OF THE YEAR
January is usually a particularly sensitive month. New resolutions, balance sheets of the previous year and a lot of visibility of other people's projects make the comparison almost automatic.
When the project itself is in a quieter or internal phase, such constant exposure can create a sense of being late or not doing enough.
COMPARING RESULTS WITHOUT SEEING THE PROCESSES
One of the biggest mistakes when comparing is to compare only what is visible. You compare numbers, announcements or milestones without taking into account all the previous work that is not visible.
Each project has different times, contexts and resources. Comparing results without knowing the processes often leads to unfair and demotivating conclusions.
WHEN COMPARISON MAKES YOU LOSE YOUR OWN JUDGEMENT
The real problem comes when the comparison starts to influence your decisions. Constantly changing direction, pitching under external pressure or copying strategies that don't fit your project often leads to more confusion than progress.
A project loses strength when it stops making decisions based on its own logic and starts reacting to what others do.
USE COMPARISON AS INFORMATION, NOT JUDGEMENT
Comparison is not always negative. It can be used to learn, to be inspired or to better understand your surroundings. The key is not to turn this comparison into a constant judgement of your own value as an artist.
Observing without punishing yourself allows you to learn without losing confidence in your process.
BACK TO THE FOCUS: YOUR PROJECT, YOUR MOMENT
To leave the comparison behind implies looking again at your own path. What are you building, what stage are you at and what decisions make sense now, not in terms of other projects, but in terms of your own.
Regaining focus reduces anxiety and restores clarity to creative and strategic decisions.
GROWTH IS NOT ABOUT ARRIVING EARLIER, IT IS ABOUT ARRIVING WITH MEANING.
In an artistic career there is no single finish line or universal timetable. Some projects take off earlier, others later, and many take off gradually and quietly.
Comparing yourself less does not mean demanding less of yourself, but demanding better of yourself: with judgement, context and respect for your own process.
Learning to manage the comparison allows you to move forward more calmly, make better decisions and sustain the project without wasting energy on careers that are not your own.
