The Comparison Trap
Measuring Yourself Against the Old You
One of the hardest parts of coming back from injury isn’t just the physical work.
It’s the mental battle of comparing yourself to who you used to be.
You might catch yourself thinking:
“I’m slower than before.”
“I don’t feel as sharp.”
“Will I ever get back to that level?”
This is called the comparison trap, and it can make recovery feel discouraging, even when you’re making real progress.
Why Comparisons Can Weigh You Down
It’s natural to compare your current self to your pre-injury self. But here’s the problem with comparisons:
Your body is in a different stage: During rehab it’s healing and adapting.
Your focus shifts: Rehab and mental training look different than full practices and competition.
Progress doesn’t follow a straight line: It comes in steps. Sometimes forward, sometimes sideways, and sometimes backward.
When you’re constantly measuring yourself against the “old you,” it can feel like you’re falling short, even when you’re actually moving forward.
Reframing Progress
Different. Not Less.
Recovery isn’t about becoming your exact old self again. It’s about building a new version of yourself that reflects what you’ve learned and overcome.
Think of it this way:
You’ve gained mental toughness, patience, and perspective.
You’ve learned how to cope with setbacks.
You’re proving that you can handle adversity.
That’s not less than who you were before.
It’s different and often stronger.
Values Over Outcomes
One way to break free from the comparison trap is focusing on values-driven action instead of outcome-driven identity.
Outcomes sound like: “I need to be as fast as I used to be.”
Values sound like: “I care about competing with courage and giving my best.”
When you connect to your values, like perseverance, teamwork, or growth, you shift the focus from proving yourself to doing what matters most.
That mindset makes recovery less about chasing the past, and more about building the future.
Takeaway
Comparisons are normal, but they don’t define you. Your recovery is not about being the old you.
It’s about becoming the next you.
Welcome to Ready, Set, Return! We’re a group of professionals and researchers passionate about helping athletes be mentally ready to return to sport after injury.
We’re currently researching an online program for collegiate student-athletes to help them build psychological readiness. We’re recruiting participants through 2025.
Learn more at www.readysetreturn.com.