The Comparison Trap: Why Chasing “The Best” Can Hold You Back
🚀 New episode of Leadership Explored drops tomorrow! 🚀
We’ve all done it.
We see a company thriving—Google’s innovation, Amazon’s speed, Apple’s design excellence—and we think: If we just did what they did, we’d be more successful.
Leaders and businesses fall into this comparison trap all the time. They benchmark against industry giants, adopt “best practices,” and try to hire the best talent from the biggest names.
But is this actually the right move? Or is it leading us astray?
That’s what we’re unpacking in Episode 6 of Leadership Explored: “Beyond the Best – Why Comparison Can Hold You Back.”
Why Do We Compare?
Comparison is wired into us. It’s how we gauge status, measure progress, and determine what’s possible.
In business, it makes sense—why reinvent the wheel when we can learn from top companies?
But here’s the problem: best practices aren’t one-size-fits-all.
✅ Google can do thousands of deployments a day because of its infrastructure.
✅ Amazon hires elite engineers, but not every company needs that kind of talent.
✅ Apple prioritizes design above all else, but is that what your customers actually care about?
What works for a trillion-dollar company with near-limitless resources won’t necessarily work for you.
This is why leaders need to think critically instead of blindly copying what’s “best.”
The Problem with Idolizing Top Companies and Leaders
Leaders don’t just compare businesses—we compare ourselves.
We look at high-profile CEOs, legendary founders, or so-called “visionaries” and think: What would it take to be like them?
But here’s the thing: If you want Steve Jobs’ impact, you also have to take his baggage.
🚨 The long hours, the intense demands, the strained relationships—are those things you want?
🚨 Are you seeing the full picture, or just the highlight reel?
Success isn’t just about achievements—it’s about trade-offs. The real question is: Are those trade-offs worth it for you?
Rethinking the “Best” Approach
Instead of chasing someone else’s version of success, real leaders focus on what actually works.
💡 Define success on your terms.
💡 Build teams that fit your challenges.
💡 Solve problems that matter to your customers and employees.
Because the best leaders don’t copy—they create.
Listen to Episode 6: Beyond the Best
In this episode of Leadership Explored, we break down:
🎙️ The dangers of blind comparison in business and leadership
🎙️ Why “best practices” can backfire
🎙️ The myth of top talent (and why fit matters more than prestige)
🎙️ How leaders can shift from comparison to meaningful progress
Join us as we rethink what it really means to be successful.
🎧 Episode drops tomorrow—subscribe and listen here:
🔗 leadershipexploredpod.com
What do you think? Have you ever fallen into the comparison trap? Let’s discuss in the comments!
#LeadershipExplored #LeadWithPurpose #LeadershipMindset #ModernLeadership #SuccessOnYourTerms