Comparison is the Thief of Joy

The quiet mindset trap that steals your happiness.

Jul 05, 2025

Good morning everyone!

Hope you’ve had a restful week so far. It’s been a green week in the markets, with the US side taking a breather yesterday for the 4th of July holiday.

Today, I want to share about something that we all do in our life, whether we realize it or not: comparing ourselves to others.

In life, and especially in investing, it’s so easy to fall into the trap. You see someone else making big gains, how early they bought that one high-flying stock, or how quickly their portfolio is growing.. and suddenly, you start second-guessing your own progress.

But I’m here to share with you comparison almost never tells the full story.

We tend to compare with people just ahead of us, not behind, and certainly not those in entirely different circumstances. Why? Because we like a benchmark that feels “within reach”. But this kind of selective comparison often skews reality and breeds frustration.

I’ve felt it too. There were times when I looked at others and thought, should I have done more?

But here’s the thing - There’s no one-size-fits-all in investing. Everyone’s playing a different game based on their timeline, risk tolerance, and what they’re working toward.

The choices that I (and you) make came from my own situation - my goals, my comfort level, my stage of life. Maybe I was being more cautious. Maybe I had other priorities. And that’s perfectly okay. Because at that point in time, I made the best decision I had.

That said, a little comparison isn’t always bad. It can give us a nudge, help us learn, and motivate us to improve.

But too much of it makes you tip into toxic self-doubt or an endless chase to “beat” others.

You stop celebrating your steady progress because someone else seems to be ahead. You forget how far you’ve come because you're focused on someone else’s pace.

And that’s where comparison becomes a thief of joy.