Stop Comparing Your Progress to Others, Says Maryann (MJ) Jamieson

In a recent LinkedIn post, Maryann (MJ) Jamieson discusses a common pitfall that hinders professional growth: focusing on external comparisons rather than internal progress. Jamieson argues that many individuals are measuring themselves against the wrong metrics, leading to a distorted view of their own achievements.

The post highlights the pervasive nature of comparison, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, where curated highlights of others’ successes can easily lead to feelings of inadequacy. Jamieson points out the immediate impact of seeing others’ achievements:

“Scroll LinkedIn for five minutes and watch what happens:
→ Someone gets promoted
→ Someone announces a big move
→ Someone shares a decade of wins in one post

And suddenly, your own progress feels… behind.”

The Trap of External Benchmarks

Jamieson identifies this tendency to measure against others as a significant trap, not because comparison itself is inherently bad, but because the metric is frequently flawed. As Maryann (MJ) Jamieson explains, the issue lies in changing the ‘scoreboard’ to one that doesn’t accurately reflect one’s own journey.

According to Maryann (MJ) Jamieson, when professionals engage in this type of comparison, several detrimental effects can occur:

• Losing sight of their actual building objectives.
• Hesitating on decisions that were previously effective.
• Diluting momentum by chasing paths that are not their own.
• Overlooking progress that would otherwise be a source of pride.

Reframing the Measure of Success

The core of Maryann (MJ) Jamieson’s message is that there will always be someone seemingly ahead, but this external perspective often misses crucial context. Jamieson states:

“Different timeline.
Different trade-offs.
Different priorities you don’t see.

That’s not a gap.
That’s context.”

Jamieson proposes a more effective and constructive comparison: looking inward. The only metric that truly drives progress, according to the post, is the comparison between one’s past self and their present self.

The Power of Self-Comparison

Maryann (MJ) Jamieson emphasizes that the real signal of progress is found in the answer to questions like:

• Are you thinking sharper?
• Moving faster?
• Backing yourself more?
• Choosing better?

This internal benchmark, Jamieson argues, is where true progress lies and what ultimately compounds over time. The only worthy competitor, in Jamieson’s view, is not another person online, but a past version of oneself who lacked current knowledge and experience.

“The person you’re competing with isn’t online.
They’re the version of you who didn’t know what you know now.

That’s the only comparison worth making.”

Jamieson concludes by encouraging readers to save this perspective for moments when they find themselves falling into the comparison trap, reinforcing the idea that focusing on personal evolution is the most valuable measure of success.