I recently turned 50, and one of the goals I set for myself was to get into the best shape possible by the time I hit this milestone. Since January, I’ve been training hard, dialing in my fitness, and making serious progress.
But during my annual blood work, I got some news I wasn’t expecting. Nothing catastrophic, but some of my health markers—things like cholesterol, blood sugar, and heart health—had moved in the wrong direction. It forced me to start paying closer attention to aspects of my health that I’d honestly been brushing aside.
We’re trained to compare
What surprised me wasn’t the blood work itself—it was how I started feeling afterward. The more I researched health, fitness, and longevity, the worse I felt about myself. Not because I was unhealthy, but because every time I opened my phone, I was bombarded with younger, leaner, more muscular, seemingly healthier people. It made me realize something important: the internet doesn’t just give us information—it trains us to compare ourselves to everyone else.
When I was younger, comparison was limited. You compared yourself to your neighbors, your coworkers, or the guys at your gym. Today, you’re comparing yourself to the absolute top fraction of a percent every time you scroll through social media. Twenty years ago, I never would have crossed paths with most of these people. Now they’re living in my pocket 24 hours a day.
Comparison has no finish line
The problem is that the game is rigged. You’re seeing perfect lighting, carefully selected photos, filters, and increasingly, people using performance-enhancing drugs while presenting themselves as natural. You’re comparing your everyday reality to someone else’s highlight reel. Even when you know better, it still affects you. I know it affects me.
What I realized is that no body, no amount of money, no level of success, and no lifestyle will ever feel good enough if comparison remains the goal. The moment you achieve one target, the goalpost moves. Lose 10 pounds? Suddenly, you wish you’d lost 20. Build some muscle? Now you’re comparing yourself to someone who’s younger, bigger, and leaner. Make more money? Someone else is making ten times as much.
The truth is that comparison has no finish line. There will always be somebody stronger, richer, better-looking, taller, leaner, more successful, or seemingly happier than you. And this isn’t just about physiques—it’s about every aspect of life.
It’s not reality for almost anyone
One of the biggest problems with social media is that it creates unrealistic expectations about what life should look like. You open Instagram, and suddenly it seems like everyone is making millions of dollars, driving exotic cars, living in incredible homes, dating beautiful people, and looking like fitness models while doing it. But that’s not reality for almost anyone.
As a result, a lot of us end up feeling inadequate. We start to believe we’re somehow failing because our lives don’t match the carefully curated versions we’re constantly shown. We assume everyone else has something we want and something we’re missing.
None of us is immune to criticism
I also realized how much outside opinions can affect us if we let them. After sharing some of my recent health concerns, I saw comments from people saying I’d lost credibility because I’ve spent years talking about health and self-improvement. Even though I know those comments are unfair, they still stung. That’s because none of us is immune to criticism.
The reality is that I’ve dedicated my life to becoming the best version of myself and helping other men do the same. But I’m not perfect. I have flaws. I make mistakes. I face challenges. Just like everyone else, I’m constantly trying to evolve and become better than I was yesterday.
The only competition that truly matters
That’s the key lesson I’ve taken away from this experience: if you’re comparing yourself to people online, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. You’ll never feel satisfied because there will always be another person who appears to have more than you.
When I caught myself heading down that negative rabbit hole, I stopped and reflected on my own life. I thought about what I’ve accomplished, what I’m grateful for, and what I still want to achieve. Most importantly, I reminded myself that I’m proud of who I am and how far I’ve come. And I want you to feel the same way about yourself.
At the end of the day, life isn’t about beating everybody else. It’s about becoming the best version of yourself. Because no matter how much money you make, what car you drive, how lean you get, how muscular you become, or how successful you are, there will always be someone who appears to have more.
The only comparison that actually matters is this: Are you better than the man you were yesterday? That’s the question worth asking. And that’s the only competition that truly matters.
