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What Are You Comparing Against?

Authors

"Don't compare your progress with that of others. We all need our own time to travel our own distance."

– Unknown

You may find yourself questioning your leadership because your team isn't grabbing the headlines or because your project didn't meet expectations. You may be wrestling with doubt because the vision you had didn't materialize exactly as you envisioned. The weight of these feelings becomes heavier when you see other teams succeeding in areas where your team seems to struggle.

But here's what you might not see: those teams who are making waves have their own struggles. The team that just sealed the deal of the century might be facing high turnover rates. The team that just launched a successful product might be dealing with internal discord. Even the team that just won an industry award might be struggling with maintaining their momentum.

The truth is, every team has its own challenges, its own hurdles to jump, its own mountains to climb. Other teams may even be looking at your team, envying your close-knit camaraderie, your creative problem-solving, your resilience.

It's a painful exercise, this comparison game. It's a joy-stealer, a progress-hinderer. It doesn't help you grow, it only feeds your doubts.

So, enough of this. Instead, turn your focus inward. Evaluate your team's performance based on your own standards. Don't pressure your team to meet some perceived benchmark set by other teams. Allow your team to grow, to learn, to improve at its own pace. Grant yourself the same grace.

Your mission is clear: aim to outperform your team from yesterday. Set goals based on your own records. This isn't about racing against others, it's about improving at your own pace.

Your team has unique strengths and skills. Use these. Every problem solved, every lesson learned is a step forward. This is your progress. This is your journey.

You're running your own race, and your only competitor is your team's past performance. With commitment and continuous effort, you will see the growth and improvement you seek. Keep pushing. Keep striving. Keep improving. This is your path, your leadership, your team's success.