I told her I’d just come out of a coma.
That was my line to my personal trainer on our very first conversation: “Treat me like I’ve just come out of a coma.”
It was half-joke, half-truth. Years of back problems plus a foot issue had kept me from my normal walking routine. I had even canceled our first appointment because my back had gone out. Every time I started to make progress on my own, something would set me back.
So when I finally decided to invest in help, I needed her to know: start me at square one.
Fast forward two years. I’ve made huge improvements, though I still deal with flare-ups. Recently, I started physical therapy again. While I was doing one of the beginner exercises, I noticed the woman next to me doing the same exercise, but so much better.
Cue the frustration.
My “coma” story has always given me a way to laugh and give myself grace. But in that moment, with nothing to hide behind, I compared myself and came up short.
And it happened again.
At the gym, I was practicing a simple balance exercise when I looked over and saw a woman basically doing the Nicki Minaj challenge, balancing on a stack of objects like it was her audition for Cirque du Soleil. I almost stopped, packed up, and left.
Almost.
Because here’s the thing: comparison is the thief of joy, and sometimes the thief of progress too.
If I had quit, I would have robbed myself of the steady gains I’ve been making. Gains that matter for me, not for anyone else.
And let’s be honest, this doesn’t just happen in the gym.
The same voice that tells me “your balance exercise looks silly next to hers” is the same one that says: “Shouldn’t you be further along by now? Look at so-and-so from your early career, they’re a president now.”
That voice shows up everywhere:
That was my line to my personal trainer on our very first conversation: “Treat me like I’ve just come out of a coma.”
It was half-joke, half-truth. Years of back problems plus a foot issue had kept me from my normal walking routine. I had even canceled our first appointment because my back had gone out. Every time I started to make progress on my own, something would set me back.
So when I finally decided to invest in help, I needed her to know: start me at square one.
Fast forward two years. I’ve made huge improvements, though I still deal with flare-ups. Recently, I started physical therapy again. While I was doing one of the beginner exercises, I noticed the woman next to me doing the same exercise, but so much better.
Cue the frustration.
My “coma” story has always given me a way to laugh and give myself grace. But in that moment, with nothing to hide behind, I compared myself and came up short.
And it happened again.
At the gym, I was practicing a simple balance exercise when I looked over and saw a woman basically doing the Nicki Minaj challenge, balancing on a stack of objects like it was her audition for Cirque du Soleil. I almost stopped, packed up, and left.
Almost.
Because here’s the thing: comparison is the thief of joy, and sometimes the thief of progress too.
If I had quit, I would have robbed myself of the steady gains I’ve been making. Gains that matter for me, not for anyone else.
And let’s be honest, this doesn’t just happen in the gym.
The same voice that tells me “your balance exercise looks silly next to hers” is the same one that says: “Shouldn’t you be further along by now? Look at so-and-so from your early career, they’re a president now.”
That voice shows up everywhere:
- When you’re scrolling LinkedIn and see someone else’s promotion.
- When your colleague seems to make things look effortless.
- When you start to question if you made the right choices.
But here’s the truth:
- Your starting point matters. Someone else’s chapter 10 doesn’t invalidate your chapter 3.
- Progress is personal. What looks basic to one person may be a huge win for you.
- Different paths lead to different destinations. Just because someone you know is a president now does not mean you should be. You may have chosen a different path, with different values, goals, and tradeoffs.
- Comparison can inspire, but don’t let it derail you. Other people’s achievements can show you what’s possible, but your path is still your own.
If comparison has you questioning where you stand in your career, my free Career Checkup can help you pause, reflect, and chart what progress really looks like for you.
I still keep the “coma” line in my back pocket. It makes me laugh, and it reminds me to give myself grace. But the deeper truth is this: you don’t need an excuse to honor your own progress.
So this week, ask yourself: where are you letting comparison steal your joy or your momentum? And what progress could you celebrate instead?
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