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The Copy-Paste Trap: Why Comparison Makes You a Bad Version of Someone Else
How mimicking success creates mediocrity.
Parves Shahid
December 17, 2024
"How To Be Like Elon Musk"
"10 Habits of Warren Buffett"
"What Zendaya Does Every Morning."
These posts get stratospheric traction because you want all that—specifically, their success, not bad stuff.
But a funny thing happens. You study every successful person and copy their morning routines, decision frameworks, and communication styles. And you become extremely good at being a bad version of someone else.
When you try to copy success, you often copy yourself out of it.
I’m not special. I’ve gone through all the suspects, copying, imitating, remixing, till it became repulsive to even think about creating content. What excited me became an unbearable chore. My uniqueness was buried under a generic puddle of slop, and I lost sight of myself.
The Psychology of Comparison
The comparison trap is a common pitfall that we all face, especially in the age of social media. According to social comparison theory, we naturally tend to evaluate ourselves based on how we stack up against others. This urge to compare serves an important function—it helps us gauge our progress and identify areas for growth.
However, when taken to the extreme, comparison can be destructive. Research has found that excessive social comparison is linked to lower self-esteem, increased anxiety and depression, and reduced motivation. We get so fixated on others' highlight reels that we lose perspective on our own journey.
As Steven Furtick puts it, "The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel."
The Authenticity Fallacy
Authenticity isn't about ignoring others' success. It's about understanding the principles behind it:
Steve Jobs wore black turtlenecks. Now everyone wears black turtlenecks. But wearing the turtleneck didn't make them Steve Jobs.
So first, recognize what you're copying. Is it the surface (the turtleneck) or the substance (the vision)?
Then, learn principles, not patterns. Jobs wasn't great because of his routine. He was great because he followed his curiosity relentlessly.
Finally, create your combinations. Take what resonates, leave what doesn't, and add what's uniquely yours.
Want proof? Look at true innovation:
Apple didn't succeed by copying IBM.
They succeeded by questioning every assumption IBM held sacred.
Tesla didn't win by copying GM.
They won by reimagining what a car company could be.
AirBnB didn't grow by copying Hilton.
They grew by seeing opportunities where hotels saw competition.
Here's how you can start:
Notice when you're copying. That uncomfortable feeling? It's your authenticity trying to break free.
Ask why something works, not just what was done.
Take the principle, leave the prescription.
We live in a world obsessed with templates, formulas, and shortcuts. "Success leaves clues," they say. But they're wrong. Success leaves principles. The application has to be yours.
The next big thing won't come from copying the last big thing. It'll come from someone brave enough to be original.
Remember: Ctrl+C Ctrl+V might work for documents. But it's a terrible strategy for life.
Your best version won't be found in someone else's template.
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