Stay in Your Lane: How to Overcome Comparison & Distraction

As entrepreneurs, we tend to have big plans. We’re full of ideas and ways to change the world. That’s why we ventured out on our own, right? We want to create something new, something ours.

In the beginning, things can feel a bit overwhelming. There’s all the roles you take on in your business: CEO, creator/practitioner, promoter, admin. A lot of these you may not have realized existed or needed your attention before you found yourself deep in the day-to-day realities of having your own business.

Then, there’s the insecurities that pop up: am I doing this right? Will I really succeed? Do I deserve success? So, you invest in courses and programs and trainings. Some catapult you forward while others turn out to be an expensive diversion. You network and get to know others in your field...and start comparing your performance with theirs.

You put in more hours.

You sacrifice.

You question yourself.

Any of this sound familiar?

So, how can you move from overwhelmed and distracted to confident and focused? Learn how to stay in your lane.

Own Your Lane

If you’ve ever swam laps in a pool, run on a track, or watched a swim or track event, you will have noticed that there are barriers set up between each person. Everyone knows their boundaries and where to focus their energy. It doesn’t matter what the person next to them is doing. They’re focused on their own performance. They know their personal goals and what they need to do to reach them. 

You can create the same “lane” for yourself in your own business. The first step is recognizing what is yours to own and what is not. Start by making two lists. On one, list all of the things that are yours to control in your business: showing up as the creator/practitioner, creating the goals and vision for your company, etc.

Then, make a list of all of the things that are not yours to control: how many people decide to sign up for your program or ultimately buy your product, other people’s opinions, actions, and successes, who sees your social media posts, etc.  Finally, look back over your two lists. Is there anything that is on your ownership list that ultimately you can’t control? 

Note: We have a tendency to assign more to ourselves than is really ours to own. Yes, you control the content and timing of your email sequence and can take steps to optimize it, but you can’t control your actual open rate. Yes, you can increase your chances of someone seeing and purchasing what you have to offer, but ultimately, the decision and outcome lies with someone or something else. 

Remember Your Partnerships

Sometimes entrepreneurship can seem lonely. At least starting out, you don’t have a team of people to learn and draw inspiration and motivation from. The truth is, though, that you aren’t alone. It’s just a matter of opening your eyes to all your partnerships. This is the next step in creating your own lane.

Expert Partnerships

Let’s face it, we’re not all good at everything. So, why are we trying to do it all? Instead, what if you took a hard look at all the things that you are owning and were honest with yourself about which things are BEST for you to own. Just like with managing your to-do list, you can free up your lane by delegating tasks that aren’t your area of expertise. Not an expert in managing your social media? Look for possible tools and professionals who focus just on optimizing your content and reach. Instead of causing stress and self-judgment around tasks that are burdensome, what if you tried allowing someone else to take on those responsibilities?

Reciprocal Partnerships

Just because you’re a “solopreneur” it doesn’t mean that you have to go it alone. Even though you may be tempted to see others in your field as your competition, there’s a more helpful way of seeing them: your colleagues and partners. Just because someone else signs a new client doesn’t mean you lose out. Instead, it frees up more room for the right clients to come your way. Each of us attracts and serves a slightly different client or customer. There is more than enough for everyone. 

With this view of cooperation, it makes it possible for you to see opportunities to trade services, partner for projects and promotions, and create an even greater reach for your business than you could have achieved alone. Bring your own strengths and expertise to the partnership, and invite other entrepreneur partners to do the same. This way, you can focus on your best skills and allow your partner to balance you out with their contributions.

You gain community and collaboration instead of competition and comparison.

You allow yourself to focus on what you do best and go further faster with the support of a complimentary partner. How does that sound?

Universe Partnership

For most of us--regardless of religious preferences--we believe in something greater than ourselves. Whether you call it God, universe, spirit, it partners with us through prayer and manifestation to co-create the life we desire. Just as with expert and reciprocal partnerships, you have your lane and the universe has it’s lane. You focus on the things you own and control. The universe handles the rest.

Remember those lists you made with the things you can and cannot control? This is where you hand over the can’t-control list to something greater than you to take care of.  

Release Control

Did you just get sweaty palms from reading this? It can be so hard to release control sometimes. We like to feel in charge, like we have it all together. It gives a feeling of stability. But, the truth is that holding on to all those things that aren’t yours to hold is actually what’s keeping you from confidence, focus, and your personal success.

Sometimes it helps to release control through a physical act. You can burn your list of the things you can’t control. You can release it in water or in the air. You can go through the list one item at a time and out loud state the thing you can’t control followed by the words, “I release you.” You can do it through prayer or meditation. Choose what feels right for you.

You’ll know you truly released these things when you feel lighter, more calm, and less burdened. You may also feel greater excitement around getting back to your own lane and into action. Free from comparison. Free from distraction. You know your goals and what to do to get there.

For more on releasing control, check out 3 Steps for Releasing Control.