--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is harmful to compare yourself to…" description: "\"It is harmful to compare yourself to others. Others will do that for you.\" — John Wooden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/john-wooden-420_compare_it-is-harmful-to-compare-yourself-to-oth_159993.png" --- # It is harmful to compare yourself to others. Others will… ![“It is harmful to compare yourself to others. Others will do that for you.” quote by John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/john-wooden-420_compare_it-is-harmful-to-compare-yourself-to-oth_159993.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/john-wooden-420_compare_it-is-harmful-to-compare-yourself-to-oth_159993.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/john-wooden-420_compare_it-is-harmful-to-compare-yourself-to-oth_159993.png) > “It is harmful to compare yourself to others. Others will do that for you.” [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that comparing oneself to others is harmful, and that external comparisons can be imposed, encouraging self‑acceptance. **In simple terms:** Comparing yourself to others is damaging, and others may do it for you. Key Takeaway Practice self‑comparison rather than external. Themes self‑esteem mental health social pressure personal growth Mood cautious encouraging Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - team environments - social media usage Key Concepts social comparison theory mindfulness resilience Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your tendency to compare? - How can you cultivate internal standards? A Different Perspective Comparison can sometimes motivate improvement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compare/) [Compare Yourself To Others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compare-yourself-to-others/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Harmful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmful/) [Harmful Compare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmful-compare-1756731/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) ## Related quotes > [Do not compare yourself to others. If you do so, you are insulting yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/do-not-compare-yourself-to-others-if-you-do-so-you-are-insulting/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [No one else has access to the world you carry around within yourself; you are its custodian and entrance. No one else can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-donohue/no-one-else-has-access-to-the-world-you-carry-around-within-yourself/) [John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-donohue/) > [Dont compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-compare-yourself-to-others-compare-yourself-to-who-you-were/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is so much pressure to be thin, and you constantly compare yourself to others. But confidence is something that comes with age and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherie-lunghi/there-is-so-much-pressure-to-be-thin-and-you-constantly-compare/) [Cherie Lunghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherie-lunghi/) > [Don't compare yourself to others you have no idea what their journey is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-abraham/don-t-compare-yourself-to-others-you-have-no-idea-what-their-journey/) [Dawn Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-abraham/) > [Over-coaching can be more harmful than under-coaching. Keep it simple!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/over-coaching-can-be-more-harmful-than-under-coaching-keep-it-simple/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“Focus on your work. Do what you're great at. Don't compare yourself to others and or waste time criticizing the lives and work of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/focus-on-your-work-do-what-you-re-great-at-don-t-compare-yourself-to/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [1-Don't analyze. 2-Don't complain. 3-Don't compare yourself to others. 4-Don't expect things to be done for you. 5-Don't expect perfection in the relative. 6-Look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/1-don-t-analyze-2-don-t-complain-3-don-t-compare-yourself-to-others-4/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [My best advice is to celebrate your own unique features and never put them down. 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Everybody has a purpose on earth, and everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/we-all-have-a-life-to-live-we-all-have-unique-and-distinctive/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [Never compare yourself to others because God created you perfectly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khat-leen/never-compare-yourself-to-others-because-god-created-you-perfectly/) [Khat Leen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khat-leen/) > [Ive learned that you shouldnt compare yourself to others...they are more fucked up than you think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/ive-learned-that-you-shouldnt-compare-yourself-to-others-they-are/) [Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/) > [“But you can’t beat yourself up or compare yourself to others. Remember, the Bible says that the first will be last and the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-thompson/but-you-can-t-beat-yourself-up-or-compare-yourself-to-others-remember/) [Janice Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-thompson/) > [Dont compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to the person you were yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-compare-yourself-to-others-compare-yourself-to-the-person-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Wooden > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/defense-is-a-definite-part-of-the-game-and-a-great-part-of-defense-is/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it. -John wooden”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-so-important-who-starts-the-game-but-who-finishes-it-john/) [John wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“I remain convinced to this day that compassion like that—sincerely caring for your players and maintaining an active interest in their lives, concerns, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/i-remain-convinced-to-this-day-that-compassion-like-that-sincerely/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [I'm not going to say I was opposed to the Vietnam War. 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Persevere relentlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/stay-the-course-when-thwarted-try-again-harder-smarter-persevere/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Love is the most powerful four letter word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/love-is-the-most-powerful-four-letter-word/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [It takes 10 hands to score a basket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-takes-10-hands-to-score-a-basket/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [The best competition I have is against myself to become better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/the-best-competition-i-have-is-against-myself-to-become-better/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, the habits you are developing now will be with you for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/whether-you-know-it-or-not-whether-you-like-it-or-not-the-habits-you/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Intensity makes you stronger. Emotionalism makes you weaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/intensity-makes-you-stronger-emotionalism-makes-you-weaker/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Reputation is what others perceive you as being, and their opinion may be right or wrong. Character, however, is what you really are, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/reputation-is-what-others-perceive-you-as-being-and-their-opinion-may/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) [Explore all 578 John Wooden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) ## More Compare quotes > [I have touched with a sense of art some people-they felt the love and the life. Can you offer me anything to compare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cassatt/i-have-touched-with-a-sense-of-art-some-people-they-felt-the-love-and/) [Mary Cassatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cassatt/) > [Its extremely dangerous to compare anyone else to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/its-extremely-dangerous-to-compare-anyone-else-to-shakespeare/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [I think, however, that Astaire's coordination is better than Kelly's... his sense of rhythm is uncanny. Kelly, on the other hand, is the stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/i-think-however-that-astaire-s-coordination-is-better-than-kelly-s/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [To fashion stars out of dog dung, that is the Great Work. To take a negative experience and, by comparing it to something worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-david-neel/to-fashion-stars-out-of-dog-dung-that-is-the-great-work-to-take-a/) [Alexandra David-Neel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-david-neel/) > [Rien ne se peut comparer a' Paris. Nothing can compare to Paris.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eustache-deschamps/rien-ne-se-peut-comparer-a-paris-nothing-can-compare-to-paris/) [Eustache Deschamps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eustache-deschamps/) > [Some twins feel like they need to compare themselves to each other, but we're not that way. That's because of my parents, though, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-olsen/some-twins-feel-like-they-need-to-compare-themselves-to-each-other/) [Ashley Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-olsen/) > [One of my favorite poets, Neruda, writes close to the bone. Though I know only a little Spanish, I like to compare the Spanish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-diament/one-of-my-favorite-poets-neruda-writes-close-to-the-bone-though-i/) [Anita Diament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-diament/) > [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/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [Don't compare your career to anyone else's. It's tough when you're in a business that's competitive. I was having a difficult time with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-brooks/don-t-compare-your-career-to-anyone-else-s-it-s-tough-when-you-re-in/) [Danielle Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-brooks/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Nobody can really compare a relationship in which the victim is 15 years old to one where she's 6. While both criminal, they're very different circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/nobody-can-really-compare-a-relationship-in-which-the-victim-is-15/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Those who have high business acumen display specific, identifiable cognitive skills that permit them to perform better than their peers. Once we understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-menkes/those-who-have-high-business-acumen-display-specific-identifiable/) [Justin Menkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-menkes/) > [In the formation of such a government, it is not only the right, but the indispensable duty of every citizen to examine the principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/in-the-formation-of-such-a-government-it-is-not-only-the-right-but/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [ Rather than comparing \[war\] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests and activities;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/rather-than-comparing-war-to-art-we-could-more-accurately-compare-it/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) [Browse all 1,596 Compare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compare/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is harmful to compare yourself to others. 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