Whether you’ve been in business for years or you are brand new to the industry, you’ve likely experienced this. It’s a common trap many trainers fall into: comparing the success of their fitness business to others. And it’s not a hard thing to do. Especially when you consider the fact that seemingly every aspect of our lives and businesses are broadcasted on social media these days. If you aren’t fully grounded in your own business, all the posts about the success others are experiencing and the lives they live as a result can lead to a hefty dose of comparison-itis.

But comparing your business to somebody else’s serves absolutely no purpose. At best, it causes you to second-guess your decisions and ideas. At worst, it turns the majority of your focus to what others’ doing, which pulls your attention away from what really matters: your clients and the people you’re here to serve. Let’s also not forget the fact that we aren’t seeing the whole picture on social media. People rarely post the difficult moments, the missteps, or the failures, which means you’re comparing your reality to a curated version of someone else’s highlight reel. That’s not a very accurate comparison, is it?!

Keep reading for four simple ways to stop comparing your fitness business to everyone else’s.

#1. Check your intentions.

I often have trainers tell me they need to “research” what kinds of programs other trainers are offering or how much they’re charging. But is this research actually necessary? Do your programs and rates need to be similar to what others are doing? What’s preventing you from creating something that feels aligned to you? Is this research stemming from a lack of trust in your own judgment? If so, what can you do to cultivate more trust in yourself?

#2. Unfollow or mute.

If you immediately feel a blow to your self-esteem as soon as you see posts from a particular trainer pop up in your feed, unfollow them! Why expose yourself to content that makes you feel less-than? While the ideal situation would be to get yourself to a point where your confidence no longer drops when you see others’ successes, this is a great starting point to get you out of the comparison trap. If you don’t want to go as far as unfollowing somebody, Instagram has a great feature where you can hide posts from a particular account.

#3. Track your own meaningful metrics.

Rather than looking at how many followers or clients someone else has, decide what metrics are most important to you in your own business and track those over time. Are inquiries important to you? Email subscribers? New clients? Pick 3-5 meaningful metrics, add them to a spreadsheet, and track their growth month after month. When you’re constantly comparing yourself to others, you’re likely missing out on some amazing growth in your own business.

#4. Create your own space in the industry.

As cliche as it may sound, you have something special to offer that nobody else can deliver. You have a unique blend of experiences, perspectives, quirks, and passions that nobody else has. When you tap into this and share your message from a place that’s authentic to you, you’ll attract the people you’re meant to help. There’s somebody out there looking for someone just like you, not you trying to be a copy-and-paste version of somebody else.

Keep all of these things in mind as you niche your services. Go beyond the basic demographics like age and lifestyle factors. Get clear not only on the results you want to help people achieve, but also the driving force behind those results. When you become extra clear on who you want to help and combine that with your unique vibe and energy, it won’t matter what anyone else is doing—you’ll be playing in your own league.

Don’t forget: what you focus on expands! Every moment you spend paying attention to someone else’s business is valuable time being taken away from your own business growth. It’s time to trust yourself and stay in your own lane.