Comparison is the Thief of Joy—and Creativity

Life can be difficult when you compare yourself, or worse, you’re compared by others. It can be uncomfortable. It can even be draining. And we don’t do it on purpose. We just want whatever we create to be in its best possible shape.

I try not to compare myself, but sometimes I fall into that trap because I’m human. We all are.

When I say others, I mean the people closest to you, like parents, classmates, or teachers. But what if it’s not just them? What if it’s the public? That’s a whole other kind of pressure. A pressure that really no one should have to experience.

DEAL OR NO DEAL

The opinions of others can seriously kill creativity, especially when those opinions are harsh or unnecessary. When you’re compared to others, you have a flood of thoughts running through your mind like: what if I’m not good enough?

It’s hard not to overthink, or even hear your own voice, when you have a lot of voices trying to tell you who you should be.

Before you know it, what you love starts feeling more like a battlefield.

You probably can’t sing your song without your voice pitching from nerves. Maybe you forget that line from the script you were working so hard to memorize when the camera starts rolling. Or maybe your feet don’t glide as gracefully across the floor because you’re stuck in your head, doubting every move.

IT’S TOO LOUD

Remember that old saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me?" If you heard it when you were young, you probably believed it. I know I did.

But here’s the thing: words do hurt.

A person’s words can stick with you longer than a bruise ever will.

That’s part of why so many creatives compare themselves. If you've stuck with me this long and read my blogs, you already know: if you’re a creative, it’s a good chance you’re sensitive too. Being sensitive isn’t your fault—sometimes it’s just how you’re wired.

This means you have a great intuition.

BRING BACK THE CALM

Here’s the good news: your intuition is there to protect you. When people tell you that you have the power, they’re right. That noise is always going to be around you, but it’s your choice whose voice you want to tune into. Which ones actually matter?

I know as a creative, you want to grow. You want your audience to stay invested. And because of that, you probably listen to the negative feedback just as much as the positive, or tell yourself you’re not good enough because it’s not happening to you as fast as it is for, let’s say for example, Jeneva Rose.

It’s not your fault, but eventually, it becomes your responsibility.

If you’re jittery or stuck, ask yourself: "Was it because of helpful critique, telling yourself you’re not good enough, or someone’s negative words?"

MAKE IT YOURS

At the end of the day, this is your life. The outcome is your choice.

Just like you can choose which TV show you want to put on after a long day, or who’s going to be your best friend for thirty years, you can choose what to let in and what to leave out.

 If you need a reminder, you can take your joy back, because it was always yours to begin with.

Now that you know you have the power, how will you protect your creativity and trust the voice inside? Let me know in the comments if this blog post helped you see the bigger picture.