I’ve gotta be honest here: I’m sick and tired hearing about people complaining about not being successful (myself included).
Now that the blogging world has become a legitimate industry (which people still don’t really understand), the comparison game is at an all time high. It’s so frustrating when I get these thoughts in my head — “Oh why is she getting this campaign?” or “Why does she have more followers than me?” I can’t believe I’m measuring my own success by looking at what OTHER people are doing. Something about that doesn’t seem right. The social media pressure is very real.
Your work should be the measure of your success
When I look at the work I’ve done over the last five years, I am damn proud of myself. I started as a college student, writing about my outfits, to a fashion industry professional, writing about her life in the greatest city in the world. I’ve worked with brands that I’ve loved and admired for years. And YOY I’ve proven my worth, and my numbers prove it. I need to constantly remind myself that my hard work is enough. While it’s a lot harder than I think, whenever I’m feeling down, I just remind myself to look at what I’m doing, who I’m working with, and my spreadsheet full of positive numbers. I can’t let the social media pressure get to me if I want to continue succeeding.
Comparing yourself to others only leads to competition
And we should be creating community…not competition. In the ever changing world of blogging, I can’t stress the importance of creating relationships in this industry. I have friends that have hundreds of thousands of followers and friends that have less followers than I do. And you know what they all have in common? They inspire me. For me, it’s not about the numbers at all. It’s about the content they create and how they’re using their platform.
If I was comparing myself to these inspiring women, I would drive myself crazy. It doesn’t make sense at all. 1. It’s not good for mental health/overall image, and 2. It’s almost like you’re putting yourself against these people (in your own head). Overall, it just isn’t conducive to a positive work environment. And hey, why would you want to willingly sabotage your relationships with really amazing and inspiring people?
Success has a different meaning for everyone
And that’s ok. For some, it’s money. For other, it’s followers. And for some others, it’s community. Whatever success means to you, it’s up to you to pursue it. It’s not fair to yourself if you make yourself think others are outpacing you. That’s not what success is about. You should 100% be in control of your own success. As long as you’re continuing doing what you love, the path to success is YOURS. Own it. Do you. Put your blinders on and keep finding your own success.
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Loved this post Dana! Keep it up girl, you’re killing it! xo
This is such a great reminder. It’s so important to remember that the best way to measure your own success is against yourself – whether you are putting your best foot forward every day and improving. Thank you for the reminder! xAllie http://www.theallthatglittersblog.com
Such a great reminder Allie! A reminder I need often. So I really appreciate your sharing. You are killing it gal and I am so extremely proud of you!
xo Laura Leigh
http://www.louellareese.com
“For me, it’s not about the numbers at all. It’s about the content they create and how they’re using their platform.” YESSS. This! I follow everyone from folks with 1k followers to 1 million followers, all because they have good content (which is king!) It’s so good to remind ourselves of these points you’ve made, this industry can be super competitive and draining at times, but it’s good to focus on yourself and find other folks that inspire you!
Oh my goodness, I’m loving this outfit! The little fur and fishnets are so cute. I couldn’t agree more that one really needs to think of what their own sucess means to theirselves instead of compairing.
xo Logan
https://peculiarporter.com
Super cool daytime combo! Love your shoes and coat! I also agree that we should only “compete” with ourselves and that success means different things to different people so we can’t measure success and what it is for real.
https://lartoffashion.com
LOVE this post! Hope you’re having a lovely Wednesday, friend!