You’re comparing your insides to their outsides. You see their results without seeing their genetics, history, starting point, circumstances, or struggles. Research by Festinger on social comparison shows we tend to compare our weakest areas to others’ strongest. Different bodies respond differently—two people doing the same thing get different results because they’re not starting from the same place. The only meaningful comparison is you now versus you before.
This companion covers what you don’t see (genetics, history, compliance, timeline), the biological reality of variation, the comparison bias, and the meaningful comparison. (4 min read)