Three reasons why you should stop unfavourably comparing your business to others

Every now and again in business we can find ourselves obsessing over achievements – but not our achievements, someone else’s – and their success always seems to be greater than ours.

I’m sure you’ve experienced it too, where you wonder why you didn’t have that idea, position your business as cleverly, or win that account, employee, award or media coverage. You look at their success and wonder why you too don’t have the same results or growth.

If we’re not careful, these business comparisons can consume us with doubt, blind us from our wins, wreak havoc in business relationships, and even cause us to sabotage our success.

To guard against this, here are three simple reminders that will stop business comparisons and help you to focus on growing your business.

1. Someone else’s success doesn’t spell your failure

It can be so easy to get discouraged and doubt ourselves when someone else achieves success, but their success doesn’t mean you have failed. In fact, if you are wise you will use their win as an opportunity to learn.

Analyse the situation and ask yourself, “What can I learn from their journey that can fast-track my success and make my life easier? What worked or didn’t work for them? What methods or strategies did they use? How could I do it more effectively or efficiently? What mistakes can I now avoid?”

You can save yourself significant time and money if you can learn from the lessons and mistakes of others who have gone before you.

2. You’ve had wins too!

Put the focus back on you for a moment and look back on your achievements. The happy clients, big sales months and glowing testimonials you’ve had. The accounts, awards, media coverage and speaking engagements you’ve won, and the results, outcomes and goals you’ve achieved.

Allow yourself to celebrate your achievements because chances are there is someone looking at what you’ve accomplished with admiration.

3. You add serious value

Your experience, expertise and skills are individual to you. No one will bring the same approach, opinions and knowledge that you will and because of that you provide immense value.

While you may not have the have the fastest growing company, the best contacts or the greatest knowledge, but your approach, interpretation or implementation may be exactly what someone needs.

So the next time you find yourself comparing your business, offer yourself these reminders because the truth is the only limitations to your success are the limitations you have placed on yourself.

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