A TikToker is reminding people to stop comparing their progress to everyone else’s, pointing out that people can start with very different advantages. Cierra, who goes by @ciearratati on TikTok, shared a video explaining why comparing yourself to others can make you feel like you’re falling behind. Her point is simple: You never know where someone else started or what kind of support they had along the way. The video has garnered 1.1 million views and 1,341 comments at the time of writing.
@ciearratati Storytime: who will get there first?
♬ original sound - Ciearra Tati
She uses an analogy about getting to a restaurant first. She says her man lives closer to the spot. Even if they left at the same time, he would always be the one to get there first because he’s starting closer to the end goal.
Cierra says comparing yourself to others is a bad idea for this reason. We never know where someone is starting. It doesn’t matter if we started at the same time. They may have had more support or money along the way that helped them accomplish their goal before you do.
This doesn’t mean your journey is wrong. Rather, she says you are doing the best you can with the hand you were dealt. She encourages people to “just get there” rather than spend time comparing themselves to others.
Commenters Shared Their Own Experiences With Comparing Their Journeys
Commenters wrote uplifting advice in the comment section and shared their personal experiences. One commenter wrote, “Stop comparing your journey, everyone’s journey isn’t the same for a reason,” while another reminded everyone, “And in the end, y'all both ended up at the same place.”
“Sometimes you can even start in the same house but they take a plane and you take the road. Take your journey personally, don’t compare!” wrote another commenter who was speaking from personal experience. Someone else shared how much her words inspired them, writing, “You genuinely don’t know how much I needed this especially going into the next school year.”
Hilariously, some people thought her story was going to be about how her man let her down. Instead of comparing themselves to others, some commenters were ready to be mad at the man involved.
“I’m too nosy. I really thought she was gonna spill some tea, but thank you,” someone wrote. Another person penned, “Girl, I was getting ready to be mad at your man for not getting there in time or something, and you decided to drop some wisdom.”
Others knew she was going to go deep with her message. “I knew this wasn’t going to be about a date night. You ate with this,” one person wrote. Someone else added, “Needed to hear this today for perspective, thank you!”
Overall, people in the comment section could relate to Cierra’s view on comparing yourself to others. Comparison is the thief of joy, and sometimes, you just have to focus on your own journey and get there.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the personal experiences shared by Cierra, who posted the video under the TikTok handle @ciearratati.
