A fondness for looking perfect to others creates comparison. As founders, we all want to look capable, successful, financially strong, smart, and confident. We measure our qualities against other founders to judge our level of eligibility. Comparison starts early in life. When we were babies, our parents measured our weight, height, and other factors against others. This habit slowly becomes part of our thinking.
Well said below:
“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
— Theodore Roosevelt
During school years, we were eager to know which of our classmates scored higher marks than us. In the same way, comparison later appears in our professional lives.
For startup founders, it shows up when we measure our progress against other founders. Comparison exists everywhere — in homes, offices, and especially in the startup ecosystem.
Comparison becomes a hindrance when founders face challenges. It creates two possible effects in the founder’s mind: positive or negative.
For example, Ben is a SaaS startup founder who wants to build a successful product. However, his startup is not gaining users or revenue at the expected pace. What should he do? He starts comparing his startup with well-known SaaS founders and fast-growing companies. He observes how they scale quickly, attract funding, and build strong products with experienced teams.
Should Ben give up on building his SaaS startup? No, he should not. As a founder, he needs to understand the average level of his current capabilities.
The average of skills practically shows the true level of a founder’s performance while building a startup. It reflects what level a founder can realistically achieve at a given stage.
Ben understands his averages by realizing that he is an early-stage founder. His startup is new, his resources are limited, and his experience is still growing.
He cannot achieve the same level of success in a short span of time. Established SaaS founders have years of experience, stronger networks, and larger teams.
Instead of losing confidence, Ben works on improving his product, understanding customer feedback, and refining his decisions as a founder.
If he needs funding for his startup, he also improves his skills to clearly explain his ideas and business potential to investors.
For this, he uses a fundraising video to send to investors, as he knows that video explains ideas more clearly than static decks. Over time, his strategies becomes stronger. His startup execution improves.
By improving his skills, Ben is able to raise the average of his abilities as a founder.
Instead of comparing his startup with others, he focuses on improving his own progress. In this way, he overcomes the challenges that appear in his founder journey.
If he had only compared his progress with other founders, he would not have been able to improve his performance.
"Comparison is the root cause of all evil. Why compare when no two people are alike?”
— Haresh Sippy
What founders need to do is focus on their averages. When founders focus on their current abilities and consistently work on improving them, they reduce challenges and gain maximum benefit.
When facing challenges in a startup journey, the first and foremost advice for founders is never to compare themselves with others. Estimate the average level of your skills as a founder, then work on your weak areas to achieve results. In this way, founders can move forward and overcome challenges.