Growth Instigators Hotline

#385 Running your race.

• Aaron Havens • Season 4 • Episode 385

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Caught in the spiral of social media comparison? You're not alone. That feeling of inadequacy while scrolling through perfectly curated highlight reels is universal—and it's silently sabotaging your leadership potential.

This episode tackles the hidden cost of comparison and offers a liberating truth: the only race that matters is the one you're actually running. As your growth coach, I explore how comparison steals your focus, erodes gratitude, and burns valuable energy you could be investing in your authentic path. Think about it—would you run a marathon constantly turning your head to check everyone else's position? You'd trip, burn out, and miss your own milestones.

High-performing leaders understand that living on someone else's scoreboard is a recipe for failure. Instead, I share three powerful strategies to break free: defining your own metrics of success (before Instagram does it for you), celebrating others' wins without competing (their success proves winning is possible), and redirecting comparison energy toward internal growth. The freedom that comes from dropping comparison isn't just personally fulfilling—it's a leadership multiplier that allows you to create from authenticity and abundance.

Ready to stop running races that were never yours to begin with? Visit growthinstigators.com to share how I can help you or your team grow. Consider this question: When in your life or leadership are you still measuring yourself against someone else's journey rather than defining your own path to success?

Speaker 1:

Have you ever been scrolling through social media and you think, wow, everyone else is crushing it while I'm just sitting here like a slob? Yeah, comparison is a thief. Welcome to message 385 of the Growth Instigators hotline, where we ignite your personal and professional development. I'm Aaron Havens, your host and growth coach. Fulfillment Friday how to let go of comparison. Here's the one big idea I want to land today. The only race that matters is the one you're actually running. That's right Comparison. Others races they're sneaky.

Speaker 1:

It takes your eyes off of your own lane and convinces you that someone else's highlight reel is the full movie. It's your movie. It erodes gratitude, distorts perspective and burns energy you could be using to build your thing, to do your thing. High-level leaders know this. You can't lead well if you're living on someone else's scoreboard. Let me give you a picture. Imagine running a marathon while constantly turning your head to see who's behind you, who's ahead. You'd trip, you'd burn out. You'd probably run into the water table and take out some innocent volunteer. Not good, that's what comparison does. It steals focus, it wrecks rhythm and leaves you exhausted from competing in a race that was never yours to win or even to run in.

Speaker 1:

Here's how to drop that habit. Define your metrics. What does success look like for you? If you don't define it, instagram will and other people will Celebrate without competing. Someone else's win isn't your loss. If they succeed, it means winning is possible. Celebrate their win. And last thought is invest inward. The time you spend measuring their life could be spent improving your own. The truth, freedom from comparison, is a leadership multiplier. When you stop trying to quote unquote, keep up. You start creating from a space of authenticity and abundance and people follow leaders who are more comfortable in their own skin. Thank you for calling Growth Instigators Hotline. I'd love to hear from you. Visit growthinstigatorscom and let me know how I can help you or your team grow. Here's the question for today when in your life or leadership are you still running a race that isn't yours? And, as always, keep instigating growth in all you do.