--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Really, the only people you should be…" description: "\"“Really, the only people you should be comparing yourself to would be people who make you feel better by comparison. For instance, people who are in co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/jenny-lawson-3391_comparing-yourself_really-the-only-people-you-should-be-com_2540352.png" --- # Really, the only people you should be comparing yourself… ![“Really, the only people you should be comparing yourself to would be people who make you feel better by comparison. For instance, people who are in comas, because those people have no spoons at all and you don't see anyone judging them. Personally, I always compare myself to Galileo because…” quote by Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/jenny-lawson-3391_comparing-yourself_really-the-only-people-you-should-be-com_2540352.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/jenny-lawson-3391_comparing-yourself_really-the-only-people-you-should-be-com_2540352.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/jenny-lawson-3391_comparing-yourself_really-the-only-people-you-should-be-com_2540352.png) > ““Really, the only people you should be comparing yourself to would be people who make you feel better by comparison. For instance, people who are in comas, because those people have no spoons at all and you don't see anyone judging them. Personally, I always compare myself to Galileo because everyone knows he's fantastic, but he has no spoons at all because he's dead. So technically I'm better than Galileo because all I've done is take a shower and already I've accomplished more than him today.”” [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously suggests comparing oneself only to those who cannot judge, like comatose people or the dead, implying that such comparisons inflate self‑esteem but are meaningless. **In simple terms:** Compare only to those who can’t judge you. Key Takeaway Use humor to deflate unhealthy comparison. Themes self‑esteem humor comparison Mood playful self‑aware Type humorous reflective When to use this quote - social media use - personal reflection - mental health - creative writing Key Concepts psychology social perception self‑worth Questions to Reflect On - Who truly helps you grow? - What healthy comparisons can you make? A Different Perspective May encourage avoidance of constructive self‑critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comparing yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comparing-yourself/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-illness/) ## Related quotes > [“This is an example of pacing when shopping. Break shopping into multiple steps: 1) rest at home before driving the car to the store,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-c-bested/this-is-an-example-of-pacing-when-shopping-break-shopping-into/) [Alison C. Bested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-c-bested/) > [People keep comparing me to people, and I just ignore it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newman/people-keep-comparing-me-to-people-and-i-just-ignore-it/) [John Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newman/) > [With me sharing everything that I'm doing on social media, people might think that I'm constantly comparing myself to other people, but I'm really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-port/with-me-sharing-everything-that-i-m-doing-on-social-media-people/) [Whitney Port](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-port/) > [Women are so unforgiving of themselves. We don't recognize our own beauty because we're too busy comparing ourselves to other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-osbourne/women-are-so-unforgiving-of-themselves-we-don-t-recognize-our-own/) [Kelly Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-osbourne/) > [Happiness is found when you stop comparing yourself to other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-is-found-when-you-stop-comparing-yourself-to-other-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've been lucky to have played a lot of women, over the years, especially in the sci-fi genre. All of them are special to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-vandervoort/i-ve-been-lucky-to-have-played-a-lot-of-women-over-the-years/) [Laura Vandervoort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-vandervoort/) > [“The shades of difference between other people and me serve to make variety and prevent monotony, but that is all; broadly speaking, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-shades-of-difference-between-other-people-and-me-serve-to-make/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Stop comparing yourself to other people; you are an original. We're all different people given different talents and it's okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-comparing-yourself-to-other-people-you-are-an-original-we-re-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Comparing yourself to the people like you, comparing yourself to the people who aren't like you, looking at how many records you've sold, looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-palmer/comparing-yourself-to-the-people-like-you-comparing-yourself-to-the/) [Amanda Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-palmer/) > [“Stop comparing yourself to other people, just choose to be happy and live your own life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/stop-comparing-yourself-to-other-people-just-choose-to-be-happy-and/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [Stop comparing yourself to other people. Realize that you're unique and you're not supposed to be like anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/stop-comparing-yourself-to-other-people-realize-that-you-re-unique/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“Somehow you still get a kick out of comparing yourself to people who have completely different goals than you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-tyrone-jones/somehow-you-still-get-a-kick-out-of-comparing-yourself-to-people-who/) [Curtis Tyrone Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-tyrone-jones/) > [In one era, it's hard enough to compare people. But comparing people of different eras... that's next to impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/in-one-era-it-s-hard-enough-to-compare-people-but-comparing-people-of/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Be real slow comparing people to Lamar Jackson. That's a multi-time MVP. That's Mr. Jackson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/be-real-slow-comparing-people-to-lamar-jackson-that-s-a-multi-time/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [You start comparing people, and ultimately, somebody feels diminished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/you-start-comparing-people-and-ultimately-somebody-feels-diminished/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) ## More by Jenny Lawson > [the most terribly human moments - the ones we want to pretend never happened - are the very moments that make us who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/the-most-terribly-human-moments-the-ones-we-want-to-pretend-never/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“I MADE MY CATS A WATER BED OUT OF A ZIPLOC BAG AND A SHOEBOX. THEY POPPED IT WITH THEIR CLAWS AND THEY ALMOST…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/i-made-my-cats-a-water-bed-out-of-a-ziploc-bag-and-a-shoebox-they/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“Everything in this book is mostly true but some details have been changed to protect the guilty. I know it’s usually about “protecting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/everything-in-this-book-is-mostly-true-but-some-details-have-been/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [Have you ever been homesick for someplace that doesn't actually exist anymore? Someplace that exists only in your mind?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/have-you-ever-been-homesick-for-someplace-that-doesn-t-actually-exist/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“As far as I'm concerned, a house should look lived-in, and I consider it clean as long as I don't stick to it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-a-house-should-look-lived-in-and-i-consider/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“Something wonderful about experiencing life with friendly strangers and stranger-friends who all fit in your pocket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/something-wonderful-about-experiencing-life-with-friendly-strangers/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“And while our families made their way to the church doorsteps to prepare to throw birdseed at us, we hid in the empty church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/and-while-our-families-made-their-way-to-the-church-doorsteps-to/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“There's a very mean girl down the hall who's trying to get me fired. I'm no good with confrontation, so whenever I say, "Have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/there-s-a-very-mean-girl-down-the-hall-who-s-trying-to-get-me-fired-i/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“Then a man onstage quoted Sam Houston, saying, “Texas can make it without the United States, BUT THE UNITED STATES CANNOT MAKE IT WITHOUT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/then-a-man-onstage-quoted-sam-houston-saying-texas-can-make-it/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [Some people we define as trolls are just critics. Sometimes they have a point. And I hear them. But for the ones who comment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/some-people-we-define-as-trolls-are-just-critics-sometimes-they-have/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“By my tenth glass of wine I started to wonder whether there was something wrong with my palate. Everyone else was marking the wine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/by-my-tenth-glass-of-wine-i-started-to-wonder-whether-there-was/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [It's interesting with my blog, because it feels to me less like a blog and more like a forum, because my readers are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/it-s-interesting-with-my-blog-because-it-feels-to-me-less-like-a-blog/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“Hey, Grandlibby?” I asked. “What’s a ‘turn-on’?” She paled visibly, looking mildly ill. “Well,” she said…struggling for words, “it’s…um…the things that make you happy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/hey-grandlibby-i-asked-what-s-a-turn-on-she-paled-visibly-looking/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“It would be hard to believe that a man had invented walls when most of them couldn’t even be bothered to close the bathroom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/it-would-be-hard-to-believe-that-a-man-had-invented-walls-when-most/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [A friend is someone who knows where all your bodies are buried. Because they're the ones who helped you put them there." And sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/a-friend-is-someone-who-knows-where-all-your-bodies-are-buried/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) [Explore all 132 Jenny Lawson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) ## More Comparing yourself quotes > [Nothing will kill what you've been called to do more than comparing yourself to someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/nothing-will-kill-what-you-ve-been-called-to-do-more-than-comparing/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [One of the greatest of all sources of misery is comparing yourself to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhat/one-of-the-greatest-of-all-sources-of-misery-is-comparing-yourself-to/) [Zhat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhat/) > [The other death for an actor is comparing yourself to other people: Forget someone else's path. Concentrate on your path. Otherwise, you get lost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-knight/the-other-death-for-an-actor-is-comparing-yourself-to-other-people/) [Shirley Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-knight/) > [“The trouble with comparing yourself to others is that there are too many others. Using all others as your control group, all your worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-manguso/the-trouble-with-comparing-yourself-to-others-is-that-there-are-too/) [Sarah Manguso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-manguso/) > [“Dear 18-Year-Old Self, Slow down -- everything is going to be fine. You aren't going to fail at anything you care about or anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-18-year-old-self-slow-down-everything-is-going-to-be-fine-you/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“Comparing yourself to others does nothing for you. Society has conditioned us to value people who fit a secular mold of perfection".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-woolley/comparing-yourself-to-others-does-nothing-for-you-society-has/) [Michele Woolley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-woolley/) > [Don’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-dyson/don-t-undermine-your-worth-by-comparing-yourself-with-others-it-is/) [Brian Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-dyson/) > [Free your mind from comparing yourself to anyone! You are a priceless original that brings something to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/free-your-mind-from-comparing-yourself-to-anyone-you-are-a-priceless/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Beauty is a complex theme, for sure. We all have a different concept and opinion regarding it, but we all like to look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-fanning/beauty-is-a-complex-theme-for-sure-we-all-have-a-different-concept/) [Elle Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-fanning/) > [“perfectionism is a desperate attempt to live up to impossible standards. Perfectionism will do anything to protect those impossible standards. It can’t let you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/perfectionism-is-a-desperate-attempt-to-live-up-to-impossible/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“Stop comparing yourself with others. If they are good at something, you too are good at something else. Self-confidence is not measured by your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/stop-comparing-yourself-with-others-if-they-are-good-at-something-you/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [As a player you never want to be in a situation where you're trying to be someone else, or you're doing things that aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jones/as-a-player-you-never-want-to-be-in-a-situation-where-you-re-trying/) [Daniel Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jones/) > [Quit comparing yourself to others. The only comparison that makes any sense is whether you are better today than you were yesterday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/quit-comparing-yourself-to-others-the-only-comparison-that-makes-any/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [Do you know what its like to wake up every morning, having to find a hell of a lot of energy, physical and mental,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-know-what-its-like-to-wake-up-every-morning-having-to-find-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Confidence cannot be found by comparing yourself to your friends, family or pick up star in a magazine. It found in your heart when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-low/confidence-cannot-be-found-by-comparing-yourself-to-your-friends/) [Alex Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-low/) [Browse all 121 Comparing yourself quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comparing-yourself/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Really, the only people you should be comparing yourself to would be people who make you feel better by comparison. For instance, people who are in comas, because those people have no spoons at all and you don't see anyone judging them. Personally, I always compare myself to Galileo because everyone knows he's fantastic, but he has no spoons at all because he's dead. So technically I'm better than Galileo because all I've done is take a shower and already I've accomplished more than him today.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jenny Lawson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/really-the-only-people-you-should-be-comparing-yourself-to-would-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comparing yourself" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/really-the-only-people-you-should-be-comparing-yourself-to-would-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/jenny-lawson-3391_comparing-yourself_really-the-only-people-you-should-be-com_2540352.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/jenny-lawson-3391_comparing-yourself_really-the-only-people-you-should-be-com_2540352.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/jenny-lawson-3391_comparing-yourself_really-the-only-people-you-should-be-com_2540352.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Really, the only people you should be comparing yourself to would be people who make you feel better by…” — Jenny Lawson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jenny Lawson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Really, the only people you should...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/really-the-only-people-you-should-be-comparing-yourself-to-would-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/really-the-only-people-you-should-be-comparing-yourself-to-would-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```