I am impressed

when I see others do it.

Motivated by it.

Their wins.

Their clarity.

Their pace.

I’m comparing.

Grading.

Measuring my version

against theirs.

I call it perspective.

It’s insecurity.

Lack of clarity.

Missed that I slipped

back into survival math.

Where everything is

a competition.

When everyone is

a scoreboard.

I was ranking myself

in a game I didn’t agree to.

Falling behind.

Feeling behind

someone who shipped

before I decided

what I was making.

That’s the loop.

External comparison in place of

internal competition.

Wanting their progress

instead of my proximity.

I’m not in competition with them.

I’m in conversation with myself.

The right question at that time is:

Am I becoming

the next version of myself

on purpose?

Internal competition

is about witnessing.

Noticing my patterns.

Choosing the shift.

External comparison

creates pressure.

Internal comparison

reveals progress.

What version of you

are you comparing to?