Hey friends,
Ever feel like everyone else got the life memo and you somehow missed it?
Your friends are getting promoted, launching side hustles, traveling the world—and you’re Googling “how to make toast without a toaster.”
Yeah. Been there.
If you’ve been feeling behind in life, in your career, or even just mentally—this week’s video (and this letter) is for you.
See the video on YouTube: My Career Path Podcast Channel
💭 Why Do We Feel So Behind All the Time?
One word: comparison.
Psychologist Leon Festinger coined the term “social comparison” in 1954. He said we judge our own abilities and opinions by comparing ourselves to others—because we can’t evaluate them objectively.
And Festinger didn’t even have to deal with Instagram filters or LinkedIn humblebrags. Imagine him today. With all the comparisons we can make by just scrolling social media.
We’re constantly bombarded with other people’s highlight reels. It’s no wonder we feel like we’re falling behind—even when we’re doing just fine.
🎯 Objective vs. Subjective Comparison
There are two types of comparisons we often make:
Objective:
These are things you can measure—money, followers, speed, degrees, job titles. You can literally put a number on them.
Subjective:
These are the tricky ones.
“Do people like me?”
“Am I wise?”
“Do I have purpose?”
There’s no scoreboard for this stuff.
😣 The Pressure You’re Feeling? It’s Probably You
That internal voice saying,
“I should have done more by now.”
“I should have figured this out already.”
“I should own two houses, a Tesla, and a 7-figure business.”
It’s not your boss. Not your parents. Not even that guy from high school with the startup and the motivational Instagram.
It’s you.
You’re running a race against imaginary people… on an invisible treadmill.
🕒 Do We Have to Feel Behind?
Nope.
The idea of being “behind” only makes sense if there’s one universal timeline for success—and spoiler alert, there isn’t.
- J.K. Rowling published Harry Potter at 32.
- Colonel Sanders started KFC at 62.
- Ray Kroc didn’t franchise McDonald’s until his 50s.
- Tolkien was 63 when The Lord of the Rings was published.
Everyone blooms at different times.
So if you feel late, maybe you’re just early in your own story.
✅ What to Do if You Still Feel Behind
Okay, so you still feel stuck. What now?
1. Start now
Not next Monday. Not next year. Now.
- Take a 10-minute walk.
- Read one page.
- Send one email.
Just start something. Motion breeds momentum.
2. Compare yourself to past you
The only person you should measure against? Yesterday’s you.
Are you growing, learning, or becoming better — just a little? Then you’re moving forward.
3. Let comparison inspire you
Instead of feeling crushed by someone else’s success, ask:
“How did they get there?”
“What can I learn from them?”
You don’t need to copy them—but you can learn from their “homework.”
(That’s the whole point of my “How ___ Got Started” on my YouTube channel—reverse-engineering the paths others took.)
👀 Let’s Talk About Imposter Syndrome
You know that voice in your head that says:
“You’re not good enough.”
“They’re going to find out you’re faking it.”
“You have no idea what you’re doing.”
Yeah. That’s Imposter Syndrome.
And here’s the twist:
The more you grow, the louder that voice sometimes gets.
Why? Because you’re doing something new. Something unfamiliar. Something that actually matters.
But guess what?
That fear doesn’t mean you’re a fraud.
It means you care. It means you’re stretching. And it means you’re learning.
You don’t build confidence by waiting until you “feel ready.”
You build it by showing up anyway.
😬 A Quick Word on Anxiety
It’s totally normal to be anxious about the future—especially now when everyone seems to be launching a podcast, flipping real estate, or selling NFT water bottles.
But anxiety doesn’t have to be a stop sign.
Acknowledge it—and keep moving.
You don’t have to solve your whole life by Friday.
Just take the next small step.
Then another.
And another.
🧠 Final Thoughts: You’re Not Behind. You’re Becoming.
You are not late.
You’re not broken.
You’re not a failure.
You’re early in your own story.
And your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
And if you ever doubt that you can still build something meaningful later in life…
Just remember—someone literally started a company that mailed potatoes with handwritten messages on them.
→ Potato Parcel
Or the guy who sold hot dog water as a “cleanse.”
→ Yes, seriously
Your idea, your timing, your growth—it’s yours.
💬 What’s One Small Win You’re Proud Of?
Hit reply or leave a comment under the video.
Let me know what your next small win will be.
We’re in this together.
—Colt
📺 Watch the video
▶ https://youtu.be/quZhKlbUnQU
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