“I understand that everyone has their own path, but when I see someone else’s success – it feels like the ground slips from under my feet.” Many clients begin their sessions at MindCareCenter with similar words. Dr. Daniel Reinhardt explains – the real issue is not the comparison itself, but the fact that on an inner level, a person already doubts their own worth. When there is no stable sense of self, others’ achievements become a reminder of what one “lacks”. That’s why therapy does not begin with “stop comparing yourself”, but with restoring the feeling of “I have the right to be myself”.
At MindCareCenter, we often notice that comparison happens automatically – on social media, at work or even within close relationships. In the early stages of therapy, the psychologist helps identify the mechanism of internal competition: people don’t evaluate individual situations, they evaluate themselves as a whole. We teach clients to recognize the moment a thought like “they did it better” becomes “which means I am not good enough”.
Specialists at MindCareCenter use an approach focused on strengthening inner stability. In therapy, we help clients detach others’ results from their personal identity, and begin assessing themselves based on their own journey rather than external standards. They learn to notice not only what “hasn’t been achieved yet”, but also what has already been overcome. Through psychotherapeutic methods, the need to prove oneself decreases, and the ability to remain connected to one’s authentic pace grows.
As therapy progresses, we often observe at MindCareCenter that people stop interpreting others’ success as a threat. A calm inner understanding appears: “their path is theirs – mine is mine”. Anxiety decreases, motivation returns and actions become more internally driven, rather than fueled by the fear of being less successful. Progress becomes personal rather than comparative.
If you notice that someone else’s achievements trigger tension, self-doubt or feelings of inadequacy – this is not about competition, but about a need for emotional support. At Mind Care Center, we help clients step out of the comparison cycle, regain inner stability and see others not as a benchmark, but as a possible source of inspiration.
Previously, we wrote about how MindCareCenter specialists help recognize emotional tension and restore psychophysical balance.