“Comparison is the thief of joy.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

It may come as somewhat of a surprise to hear me say that mindset isn’t your strongest defense mechanism against comparison in your business. It’s absolutely one of the most important tools in your arsenal, but without a strategy to create a healthier business environment? Well, you’re leaving yourself open to one of the deadliest diseases for small business owners – comparisonitis!

Here are three proven action steps to include in your business strategy to help you eliminate comparison and thrive authentically as a brand!

#1 Curate Your Online Environment (Be Ruthless) 

Without even knowing who you’re following on social media or what newsletters you’re subscribed to each week, I’m confident in saying it’s time for a clean up! The constant contact and one-sided views of other businesses and business owners can have us triggered with feelings of inadequacy and comparison. Take inventory of who you follow and assess how they make you feel. Give yourself permission to unfollow, mute or block accounts that bring up negative feelings or have you doubting yourself. And do it guilt free! At the same time, really hone in on what accounts genuinely spark inspiration, positivity and help you build community online. 

#2 Initiate Authenticity Checks (Get Uncomfortable) 

When we are bombarded by the marketing, sales, visuals and voices of so many other people and brands, it’s easy to lose sight of your own authentic self. As a society, we’ve become easily influenced by external comparison. Regularly checking in with yourself to see if your actions and decisions feel aligned vs. what you think you “should” be doing is a gamechanger. 

Create leading questions to ask yourself, and be honest!

• Am I doing this because it’s best for my business or because I feel like I should?
• Am I leaning into my unique strengths and zone of genius? 
• Does this align with my values and vision? 

#3 Define Your Own Success Metrics (And Celebrate Them) 

Have you ever been hard on yourself after seeing someone else share a win in business? That voice takes over asking “why isn’t my business as successful?” when the reality is, their goals may not even be your goals. You need to define what success in your business looks like. Create personal and business goals that complement one another and reflect what truly matters to you. Get specific about what metrics equal success for each goal, and set milestones to reach them so you can stay focused on what you’re working towards. 

Hustle & Heart Challenge

This month, put a strategy in place to kick comparison to the curb as a business owner! Challenge yourself to pay close attention when you are scrolling social media, and take notice of how you feel. Identify which specific content and profiles are the ones that spark insecurity or feel triggering and hit that unfollow, mute or block button accordingly! Free up some of that mental space to scroll through what feels good going forward.