Comparison is a Thief

My Story…

I started tattooing after a failed attempt at a career as an Art Director for a magazine. I loved tattooing. Building my brand was easy... people would find me via word-of-mouth, and come to me with their ideas, hopes, dreams, and accomplishments... searching for ways to portray those things to others by proudly wearing my art. It was awesome!

But if I had to be honest, it didn't matter how successful I became—I still had my doubts. I would follow other tattooers and artists and feel inadequate. I felt I still lacked talent, credibility, and voice. I was booked for 10 months solid, and I still felt like I was failing in some way and in some parts of my career—almost as if the failure from my position as an Art Director followed me every step of the way.

Quitters Never Win

When I quit tattooing, my feelings of failure and discouragement came back 20 times stronger. It didn't matter that I had dedicated ten successful years to tattooing, I felt as if my career ended as soon as it began.

Now, looking back on my career as a Tattooer, I realize how silly it was to feel less than... How could I think that what I did wasn't good enough? I was booked solid! Why did I feel like I wasn't talented? I made some really great tattoos!

Brick By Friggin’ Brick

,When I became a Creative Director, I was about five "mini-careers" and one-and-a-half years removed from the tattooing industry. It took me learning about social media marketing, leadership, God's sovereignty, relationships, web design, new design techniques and technology, SEO, and so much more to realize I hadn't lost my purpose and my way.

“How do I stop?”

Do you want to know how I learned to stop comparing myself to others based on the "success" I saw in the endless "highlight reels" of social media accounts? I looked back on my life and my careers and I realized they all started somewhere with me having little knowledge and experience. My hard work and investments started building upon one another, and brick-by-brick I created my brands. Every day I spent becoming better and gaining experience helped me to see that everyone has to start somewhere, and how unbelievably unfair it is to compare myself to someone else's unique narrative.

I've concluded the only equitable comparison I can make is that I have to start at square one, just like everyone else, and eventually I find my way... which is the right way!

Stop comparing yourself to others and create something awesome and uniquely yours!