STOP LOOKING SIDEWAYS – YOUR JOURNEY IS YOURS

STOP LOOKING SIDEWAYS – YOUR JOURNEY IS YOURS

I want to tell you something important. Not fluff. Not clichés. Just the truth.

A few weeks ago, I was speaking with someone who felt stuck. They’d just come off social media – scrolling through pictures of someone they knew who had “made it.” Flash car. Fancy job title. Posts full of energy and “wins.”You know the sort.

They looked me dead in the eye and said:"I just feel like I’m behind. Like I’m late to my own life."

Let me tell you what I told them:You’re not behind. You’re just busy building something real.

But the problem is, when you start looking sideways at everyone else, what once felt like progress starts feeling small. Not because it is small – but because comparison messes with your head.

THE TRUTH NO ONE TELLS YOU

Social media is a highlight reel. It’s where people post their best 5 minutes and hide the other 23 hours and 55 minutes of chaos, stress, or doubt. You’re comparing your real life to someone else’s edited version.

And here’s the thing – some of them aren’t even living the life they’re pretending to have.But it doesn’t matter either way.

Because their path isn’t your path.And your job is not to match them – it’s to own your own journey.

THE FASTEST WAY TO LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR GOALS?

It’s not failure. It’s not rejection. It’s comparison.

The moment you start obsessing over where other people are, you forget where you’re going. That’s how people lose momentum. They were on the right track – then they saw someone else’s track and got confused.

YOUR PATH ISN’T LATE. IT’S JUST DIFFERENT.

Some people sprint early and burn out.Others build slow and solid – and win the long game.

There’s no rule that says you have to have everything figured out by 25, 30, or even 40. You’re not in a race. You’re in your race.

HERE’S WHAT TO DO INSTEAD

1. Keep your head down.

   
   

   Focus on what you can control – your actions, your growth, your decisions.

2. Get a little better every day.

   
   

   You don’t need giant leaps. You just need forward steps.

3. Stop assuming.

   
   

   You’re probably telling yourself stories about other people’s lives with no facts to back it up.

4. Remember your “why.”

   
   

   Why did you start this journey in the first place? Hold onto that. Anchor yourself to your reason.
   

FINAL THOUGHT

Every time you feel behind, I want you to stop and ask yourself one thing:

“Am I still moving forward?”

If the answer is yes – even just a little bit – you’re doing just fine. You don’t need to be the fastest, loudest, or flashiest. You just need to stay real, stay honest, and stay building.

You don’t need their life. You need your life. And trust me – if you keep showing up, keep working on yourself, and stop getting distracted by the noise – your life will be more than enough.

Mark Goode CEO, Inspired Recruitment Changing the way recruitment works. Making it personal.

Mark Goode is the CEO of The Inspired Recruitment Group which originated with the inception of Inspired Selections a recruitment agency primarily focused on recruitment in the optical industry before branching out into audiology and pharmaceutical recruitment. New optical opportunities are featured daily here or if you're a business, looking for help with your recruitment needs, get in touch here