How to stop comparing and enjoy your own success (from the archives)

Comparing ourselves to other people is only natural, but it can get in the way of us creating our best work. Here’s how to keep it in check.

When you are at the opening night of an exhibition, a book launch, or even just scrolling through Twitter and spot some distant acquaintance has won an award, you are likely to witness a flood of congratulatory messages. But what you are not hearing is the sound of somebody’s soul shattering as they fall into a pit of destructive self-comparison.

‘Even though people don’t talk about it, it is a Thing,’ said artist Lily Mae Martin.

Unlock Padlock Icon

Unlock this content?

Access this content and more

Madeleine Dore
About the Author
Madeleine Dore is a freelance writer and founder of Extraordinary Routines, an interview project exploring the intersection between creativity and imperfection. She is the previous Deputy Editor at ArtsHub. Follow her on Twitter at @RoutineCurator