Nobody Tells You This About Posting on Social Media
The hardest part about posting on social media isn’t creating content.
It’s comparison.
You open Instagram intending to share something meaningful. Maybe it’s an insight, a lesson you’ve learned, or a perspective that could help someone.
Then you start scrolling.
You see
*Someone with better graphics.
*Someone with professionally edited videos.
*Someone with thousands of followers.
*Someone who appears more confident, more articulate, more successful.
And suddenly, the post you were about to publish doesn’t seem good enough anymore.
What began as a desire to contribute turns into a quiet questioning of your own value.
Many people assume that content creation is primarily a skills problem. They think they need better equipment, more knowledge, or more confidence before they can start.
But in my experience, the real challenge is often psychological.
When Comparison Changes Why We Create
Dr. Brené Brown, a leading researcher on shame, vulnerability, and belonging, explains that comparison disconnects us from our own gifts.
When we compare excessively, we stop creating from a place of contribution.
Instead, we start creating from a place of proving ourselves.
We are no longer asking:
“What can I share that might help someone?”
We begin asking:
“Am I good enough compared to everyone else?”
The focus shifts from service to self-evaluation.
And that is one of the fastest ways to lose the joy of creating.
What We Don’t See Behind the Screen
One of the greatest illusions of social media is that we constantly see people’s polished
outcomes without seeing the process that created them.
We see the creator with beautiful videos.
We don’t see the hundreds of awkward videos they deleted.
We see the successful entrepreneur.
We don’t see the failed attempts that came before.
We see the confident speaker.
We don’t see the years of self-doubt they worked through.
Nobody starts perfect.
People learn.
They fail.
They receive feedback.
They improve.
The version of someone you admire today is often the result of years of unseen effort.
Not Every Criticism Is Yours to Carry
Sharing publicly means opening yourself up to feedback.
Some feedback helps us grow.
Some criticism has very little to do with us.
Many reactions are shaped by the emotional state of the person receiving the message.
People who are hurting may interpret neutral content through the lens of their pain.
People who feel insecure may project those insecurities onto others.
People who struggle with emotional regulation may react impulsively.
This doesn’t mean we ignore feedback.
It simply means we stop treating every reaction as a verdict on our worth.
Not every response is our responsibility. Read that again!
The Freedom to be Disliked
One book that profoundly influenced my thinking is The Courage to Be Disliked. I am truly grateful for it!
Its message is surprisingly freeing:
Different people like different things.
*Some people will love your work.
*Some won’t connect with it at all.
*Some may misunderstand your intentions completely.
None of these responses determine your worth.
The goal was never universal approval.
The goal is, contribution.
Your perspective will resonate with some people precisely because it is uniquely yours.
Can We Talk About LinkedIn for a Second?
Instagram tends to trigger comparison around creativity and appearance.
LinkedIn often triggers comparison around achievement.
Everyone seems to be earning another degree.
Getting promoted.
Publishing research.
Starting businesses.
Winning awards.
And after five minutes of scrolling, you may find yourself forgetting every meaningful thing you’ve accomplished this week.
But LinkedIn, like every social platform, shows only a carefully selected category of life.
It shows careers.
It doesn’t show family responsibilities.
It doesn’t show health challenges.
It doesn’t show grief.
It doesn’t show failures.
It doesn’t show the battles people fight behind closed doors.
You’re comparing your entire life to one carefully curated aspect of someone else’s.
That comparison was never fair to begin with.
An Islamic Perspective on Comparison
Comparison becomes even more misleading when we forget that Allah created each of us with different circumstances.
Different families.
Different strengths.
Different weaknesses.
Different opportunities.
Different tests.
Some are tested through hardship.
Others through success.
Some through responsibility.
Others through uncertainty.
We were never meant to have identical journeys.
When we compare ourselves without considering the different realities people carry, we forget an essential truth:
We are being tested on different papers.
The goal is not to have someone else’s life.
The goal is to navigate our own test with sincerity, growth, and trust in Allah.
Create Anyway
If you’re starting out, create anyway.
Learn anyway.
Publish anyway.
Get support from friends, mentors or get professional help if you can, it saves a lot of frustration and speeds up the learning process.
Work on your mindset alongside your skills.
*Allow yourself to be a beginner.
*Allow yourself to improve publicly.
*Allow yourself to be imperfect.
Because the world doesn’t need another copy of someone else.
It needs the perspective, experiences, lessons, and insights that only you can offer.
Confidence usually comes later.
Courage comes first.
Reflection Question:
Which platform triggers the most comparison for you?
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.