Comparison can steal your joy — or quietly kill your momentum. Here's how it traps high achievers from both sides at the same time.

Most people know the quote: comparison is the thief of joy. But Josh makes the case that comparison is also the cause of complacency — and both operate simultaneously.

Looking up: you see someone more successful and get pulled into envy, regret, and the mental spiral of what you should've done differently. Joy goes out the window. Looking down: you see someone who's not as far along, tell yourself you're doing pretty well, and quietly take your foot off the gas. The 1% daily improvement stops.

The bigger pond advice is right — but only partially. Just being in a room with wealthier or more accomplished people doesn't automatically help. Successful people are miserable all the time. The upgrade is be ...