Reframing comparison: How elite athletes use competition as a catalyst for greatness
Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo. Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, would spend hours analysing footage of Michael Jordan.
In a world of highlight reels and curated social media feeds, comparison feels almost inevitable. For athletes, it’s even more intense – their performances are measured, timed, ranked and broadcast in real time for the world to see. Wins and losses aren’t private; they’re public record.
But the most mentally resilient performers don’t avoid comparison – they redefine it. They’ve learned that comparison can either crush your confidence or sharpen your edge. The difference? It’s not the act itself, but the intention behind it.
Two faces of comparison
Performance psychology draws a powerful distinction between two types of comparison: social comparison and mastery-oriented comparison.
Social comparison asks, “Am I better or worse than others?” It tends to activate what Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck calls a fixed mindset – the belief that your abilities are innate and unchangeable. It’s the kind of mindset that can make you feel inadequate, even when you’re improving, simply because someone else seems ahead.
Mastery-oriented comparison, on the other hand, asks, “What can I learn from this?” It’s rooted in a growth mindset – the belief that abilities can be developed through effort, feedback, and learning. Others become teachers, not threats.
Learning from greatness
Few athletes embodied this distinction better than Kobe Bryant. Known for his relentless drive, Kobe studied as much as he competed. He famously analysed hours of Michael Jordan footage, breaking down footwork, shooting mechanics, and defensive tactics. Then he’d isolate one specific move and practise it thousands of times until it was part of his muscle memory.
It was an approach that became central to his development philosophy. Though he never gave it a formal name, this deliberate observation turned admiration into accelerated mastery.
Sports psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais, who works with elite performers across disciplines, echoes this mindset. He notes that the athletes who thrive long-term aren’t comparing themselves to validate self-worth – they’re using comparison to identify what better looks like, before building a blueprint from it.
Practical strategies for transformative comparison
Whether you're an elite athlete, a professional, or just trying to improve in your own lane, here are three powerful, research-backed ways to make comparison work for you:
1. Practice intentional comparison
Performance coach Brett Bartholomew, who trains top athletes and Fortune 500 leaders, advocates for what he calls intentional comparison – a focused, structured approach to learning from others.
Rather than comparing for validation or self-worth, Bartholomew emphasises the importance of approaching comparison with clear learning goals. This mindset encourages athletes to focus on identifying specific skills they want to develop, rather than simply measuring themselves against others.
Research supports this. Studies in sports psychology show that when athletes compare with clear learning goals, they enhance performance without the emotional side effects typically linked to comparison.
2. Create a “comparison curriculum”
Legendary Olympic swimming coach Bob Bowman, who mentored Michael Phelps, didn’t leave comparison to chance. He encouraged athletes to break it down into targeted, teachable moments.
Rather than passively watching competitors, swimmers would analyse specific techniques – one day focused entirely on underwater transitions, another on stroke efficiency. This turned comparison from a vague emotional reaction into a concrete educational process.
The same method can work in any area of life. Whether you’re refining a craft or building professional skills, identifying specific elements to observe in others gives your comparison purpose – and power.
3. Compare to your past self
Psychologist Frederick Gibbons coined the term temporal comparison to describe how we measure ourselves against who we used to be. His research found that this kind of comparison is often more motivating and emotionally positive than comparing to others.
Deena Kastor credits this shift in mindset – moving away from focusing on her competition and instead comparing herself to her past performances – as a pivotal change in her career. In her memoir Let Your Mind Run, she shared how this transformation helped her find joy and pride in running, rather than anxiety.
Kastor wrote: “Competitors can know your times and places. They can learn and guess your race tactics. But your inner strength is where you gain a real advantage. And I felt mine growing.”
“Competitors can know your times and places. They can learn and guess your race tactics. But your inner strength is where you gain a real advantage.”
Neuropsychology of healthy comparison
So why does the intention behind comparison matter so much? Neuropsychology offers some clues.
When you compare to judge your worth, your brain activates its threat-detection systems. Cortisol spikes. Stress increases. Your ability to focus, learn, and perform starts to break down.
But when you compare with a learning mindset, your brain responds differently. Systems tied to reward, curiosity, and skill development light up. Dopamine and norepinephrine – key neurochemicals for focus and memory – kick in, reinforcing progress and motivation.
As Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford, explains, when comparison is approached constructively, it activates the brain’s reward systems, supporting neural processes that enhance growth and performance. This shift – from viewing comparison as a threat to viewing it as an opportunity – plays a crucial role in fostering motivation and learning.
Comparison as a catalyst
The most resilient performers understand this: comparison itself isn’t toxic – it’s how and why you compare that makes the difference.
When comparison becomes about proving your worth, it builds a psychological trap of perpetual inadequacy. But when it becomes about improving your skills, it turns into one of the most powerful tools for growth.
So whether you’re chasing a personal best, refining a craft, or climbing the next step in your career, don’t ask if you should compare – ask why you're comparing. With the right frame, comparison doesn’t diminish you. It develops you.
