Artists: (Unhealthy) Comparison is Useless.

Allow me to explain.

Comparison is one of the things that are the quote-unquote plagues of Artists. It’s one of the many things that haunts us as Creatives and to a larger extent, all humans in general.

The need to compare has existed since time immemorial. It’s as much a part of the human condition as our need to better ourselves. After all, isn’t comparing something against something else not inherently tied to the adulation and adoration of the shining beacons we aspire to reach? Is that not how great, charismatic leaders found their followers and led them onward to conquer continents? Certainly, the tendency to compare and the want for betterment are intrinsically linked.

We feel the need to hang on to the tendency to Compare ourselves against others - or others against others - because we felt that Comparison does help to improve one’s situation. After all, we won’t know what we don’t know, and we can only know what is better or best if we measure it against our own situations. It’s natural and unavoidable. And that’s good.

That is, of course, until Comparison stops being good and starts to be unhealthy.

Unfortunately, this uglier Comparison tends to be especially prevalent from what I see among artists and creatives. I’ll admit: like all creatives starting out, I used to unhealthily compare myself against other, far greater artists all the time. I still do, but I learned to do it properly and in moderation nowadays. I only ever compare myself to the extent that I can observe what *that artist* is doing versus what I am doing, therefore learning by their example to do it better. I wield Comparison like a ruler, not tying it to myself like a chain.

The thing about this form of Comparison is besides being unhelpful and illogical, it is also Dangerous.

The Problem of Successful Examples

I’m sure we can all point to at least one popular artist we know whom everyone in our circle, including or excluding ourselves, idolizes and worships; some to an almost godlike level of fandom. I don’t need to specifically mention any names here as everyone will know at least one popular artist. (Not that I’m targeting anyone in particular, mind you.)

And that sort of thing— which is not their fault really — is not a good thing in my opinion. At the great risk of sounding like sour grapes and at at even greater risk of sounding like I’m devaluing their talents, let me break something down for you, the prospective, fellow artisan that may help to enlighten us all — so we can turn a culture of Celebrity into a culture of Admiration and Honour.

The problem with the fandom surrounding the popular artists is that, talented as they are, they are paragons of a goal —duh, to be a great and famous artist — of which the formula is nigh-impossible to replicate, IF you took it word for word. Believe me: I fell into that terrible, painful trap.

When prospective artists see the awesomely-rendered landscapes or beautifully-painted digital characters on Deviantart and Artstation, what usually happens next is they pick up a copy of Photoshop and get straight to downloading the painterly brushes so-and-so uses and painting desperately to replicate their awesome styles. Afterwhich, they almost certainly deflate when they look at the hodge-podge of a painting they set out to create eight hours ago, filled with gradients and surrender. Then the darkness of comparison seeps in and you feel like shit, never going to reach those gleaming castles of greatness.

I can describe this because that’s exactly what I did as an artist starting out. As I mentioned in my previous article, before I found my niche, I wanted to be a concept artist and paint sexy, expensive images for triple A games. I did exactly what I described above and I fell into the comparison trap. Out of nowhere, I made myself feel like I was a totally useless, talentless artist who would never make it.

The first thing wrong with bad comparison is that you end up damaging your dignity for what was originally a battle your ego started. The second thing wrong — and this is a lot more significant — is that when you copy Artists’ styles, you’re only making them more famous and you’re really not helping yourself. The last mistake is when you translate success for pure hard work and perseverance and end up pulling a few tendons getting carpal tunnel syndrome doing so… You end up cheapening their efforts and sabotaging yours.

Many paths to the top of the Mountain but the View is all the same

What successful people do tell you is that Hard Work, Perseverance and Willpower are the keys to success. While that is certainly true; like all great Masters, they are revealing to you only 99% of the formula. They represent the answer and the complexity of the equation but rarely reveal the crucial integer for it to work. And they are not selfish for doing so, not at all. It’s because that last element is so wildly random and arbitrary and erratic that it’s hard to even call it part of an equation at all. The fact that it seems to follow no outlines or systems is why it’s so hard to control and why success is this rare.

Besides blood, sweat and tears, Success is based on Relationships. What no one tells you outright, perhaps out of a fear of undermining their achievements, is that the catalyst for the efforts you make towards your goals has a lot to do with meeting and shaking hands with the right people. It’s really the connections and network you have access to that takes your work to the next level.

Yes, that is not what you wanted to hear. But the fact remains that People are assets in themselves. You have to accept that People are the gateways to each other’s paths. The work you put in prior to it is just what you can bring to the party; it’s the one who hosts it that elevates your efforts onto the stage where it deserves to be.

Putting it that way might make it seem like I’m trivializing or devaluing the fame of some of our idols. But don’t pull out your pitchforks just yet, and really think about what I’m saying here: Can you imagine the colossal effort it takes, on top of that taking into account what they have achieved?

Artists (most of us) only know ‘how to Art’ really well, and we do O-kay in everything else. It’s just the way it is. Our creative inclinations and emotionally-led psyches and rationales make us less-equipped for the subtleties and nuances of the business world. After all, if you want your art to be famous and make money in your lifetime, you need to treat it as a business.

I’ve heard time and again, and I share this notion myself, that Artists shouldn’t go to Art school; they should go study Business. Because that’s one area most of us tend to find really hard to input our magical spark and creative flair. Like all starving artists can tell you, we need all the help we can get.

So it should be fair to say that for an artist to learn the ethics and mechanics of business is an effort worthy of applause by itself. And perhaps that is what we truly admire about these folk, besides their insane talent and their magical rendering skills.

Their Game is not your Game

I can count on both hands and beyond examples of artists who found fame and success by simply doing what they love. These folks are lucky because what they love also happens to be what most people love. Now, I cannot say for certain if they shook hands with the right people or no, but the stages upon which they perform certainly didn’t drop into their laps overnight.

However they attained their platforms and popularity, let me echo what I said in the previous paragraphs: You shouldn’t compare yourself to them and their success.

Right up there, I already said that what they love doing also happens to be what people love. And try as you might — and I’ve seen a lot of artists like myself try and deflate — you cannot replicate true passion. This is a form of passion that can only be understood by its bearer and only in its bearer’s hands does it not burn the flesh.

And that’s the ultimate nugget of wisdom I have to share in this entire article.

Stop comparing yourselves to who-and-who, because you cannot apply their rules to your game. Because they’re playing a totally different and unique game. Hell, some of them might not even be playing a game at all!

I can only show you the door. You’re the one that has to walk through it.

This is not to say that we should all stop working hard, just abandon our hopes and do something else altogether while the talented and brilliant few lead the world of art, leaving us mortals in the dust. Quite the contrary: we should work doubly hard and more importantly, work smarter. Each person’s game is unique and tailored to themselves. Work doubly hard, but do it for yourself.

You have to figure out what your game is and what you are bringing to the table, not hope to copy success formulas and recipes and compare yourselves to them and beat yourselves up in the process.

Go out and network, come to fairs and meet other artists. Position yourself in places where your work will be seen and appreciated.

Be distinctive and be yourself.