It’s Hard To Run Your Own Race

I've got a short note this week since I'm on the road. I'm writing this post from the city of Dallas, where I've flown to attend VidSummit, an annual conference for YouTube creators. The weather is great, the food is surprisingly tasty, and I'm excited to learn more about how to take my channel and other content to the next level. I've met up with some of my creator friends and have already encountered big YouTubers with millions upon millions of subscribers.

Yet, I find an old demon resurfacing: the habit of drawing parallels.

On my channel and in my newsletter, I often advise you to "run your own race." The idea is that your career and life are your journey, and it's often the case that a competitive mindset is a distraction if there is, in fact, no direct competition. I've also said that "comparison is the thief of joy." Most of you are in an objectively good spot in life. If you compare yourself with others who you perceive have more, it saps the happiness out of what you already ha…