How to Stop Comparing Yourself and Build a Side Hustle That Feels Right for You

The Sneaky Weight of Comparison

When I first started my online business journey, I promised myself I wouldn’t compare. I knew better — or at least I thought I did.

But comparison sneaks in quietly.
It shows up when you scroll Pinterest and see someone else’s viral pin.
It creeps in when your email list is still at zero and someone else is launching their second digital product.

Before I knew it, comparison wasn’t just an occasional distraction — it was crushing my momentum. I wasn’t just doubting my strategy... I was doubting myself.

Here’s how I gently turned things around — not with more hustle, but with a deeper kind of clarity.

1. I Acknowledged the Real Root: Fear, Not Failure

I used to think feeling “behind” meant I was actually doing something wrong. But when I slowed down, I realized what was really underneath the comparison.

It wasn’t about others being better.
It was about me being afraid I’d never “get there” at all.

Once I saw that, I could stop obsessing over other people’s progress and start facing my own fears with compassion.

💬 If you’re in this space too, pause. Ask yourself: “What am I really afraid of right now?”

It’s never just about the numbers. It’s about what those numbers mean to us.

2. I Reconnected to Why I Started

I didn’t start this journey to impress strangers on the internet.

I didn’t start it to match someone else’s timeline.

I started it because I wanted freedom.

Because I wanted to earn in a way that felt aligned.

Because I wanted to create value, not just chase money.

When I came back to my own why, the pressure started to lift.

Suddenly, I wasn’t racing anymore — I was walking my own path again.

✅ Quick Grounding Practice:

Write down 3 reasons you started your digital business.

Pin them on your wall. That’s your compass — not someone else’s highlight reel.

3. I Chose Progress Over Perfection (Again and Again)

Comparison makes you freeze. You stop posting. You overthink.

Or you start 5 projects at once, trying to catch up, and finish none of them.

Sound familiar?

Here’s what helped me:

• I picked one small next step each day — not 10.
  
  

• I celebrated tiny wins, even finishing a blog post or setting up a landing page.
  
  

• I reminded myself: every expert once felt like a beginner, too.
  
  

Momentum doesn’t come from doing it all.

It comes from doing something, consistently, even when you don’t feel ready.

4. I Curated My Input (and Quieted the Noise)

I muted, unfollowed, and stepped back from creators who triggered my inner critic. Not because they were wrong, but because I needed space to hear my own voice again.

Then I leaned into content that built me up:

• Podcasts that reminded me of the long game (like SPI by Pat Flynn)
  
  

• Stories of slow success, not just overnight wins
  
  

• Creators who shared their messy middles, not just their wins
  
  

🌱 Gentle reminder: You don’t need more content.

You need more clarity and confidence in your own direction.

5. I Let My Enoughness Be Non-Negotiable

This was the hardest — but most powerful — shift.

Instead of asking “Am I doing enough?” I started affirming:

“I am enough, even when I’m still becoming.”

This isn’t fluffy mindset talk.

This is how you protect your energy so you can actually build the thing you care about.

Because burnout isn’t caused by doing too little — it’s caused by doing too much while feeling like you’re still not enough.

Closing: Your Journey Is Not Behind — It’s Just Yours

If you’re in that space right now — feeling slow, stuck, or invisible — I see you.

But please don’t let comparison steal your belief.
You are not behind. You are becoming.

Take a breath. Reconnect with why you started.
Then take the next step from a place of clarity, not panic.

You’ve got this — even if it doesn’t look like “success” yet

👉 Want support for staying clear and grounded in your business journey?

My free 1-Page Clarity Plan can help you focus on what really matters (without the overwhelm).

Grab it here