Comparing yourself to a more experienced gamer can make you feel like you are far behind, even when you are making real progress.

The problem is not always that the other player is better. The problem is that you may be comparing your beginning to their many hours of practice, game knowledge, and experience.

When this happens, pause the comparison, find one useful thing you noticed, and return to a goal that fits your own starting point.

If another player’s progress makes your own improvement hard to see, our Beginner’s Guide to Recognizing Your Gaming Progress (Measure Improvement From Your Own Starting Point) can help you measure growth more fairly.

The Player Who Makes You Feel Behind

Imagine you are playing with a friend who has played the game for months.

They move through the map without getting lost. They know when to dodge, where to find useful items, and how to react when something surprising happens. You may look at them and think, “I will never be that good.”

But you are not seeing their first few sessions.

They probably pressed the wrong buttons, got lost, lost matches, and had to learn the same basics you are learning now. You are seeing the result of many earlier attempts, not the beginning of their journey.

That comparison can still teach you something. Maybe you notice that they check the map often or stay near cover during fights. The useful part is not trying to become them today. The useful part is choosing one small skill you can practice next.

Turn the Comparison Into a Useful Clue

First, name what made you feel behind.

Try to make it specific:

• “They always know where to go.”
• “They aim much faster than I do.”
• “They stay calm when the game gets busy.”
• “They know which items are useful.”
• “They make fewer mistakes than I do.”

Next, separate the skill from the story you are telling yourself.

“Their aim is faster than mine” is a skill you can learn over time.

“I am terrible at this game” is a story that does not tell you what to practice.

Then ask, “What is one small action this player does that I can try in my next session?”

For example:

• If they use the map often, practice checking the map before moving into a new area.
• If they aim well, spend a few minutes practicing slow, careful aim.
• If they survive longer, practice using cover when your health gets low.
• If they know the game better, learn one menu, one item, or one objective at a time.

You do not need to copy everything they do. Choose one action that fits your current level.

Return to Your Own Starting Point

After comparing yourself with another player, return to your own evidence.

Ask:

• What was hard for me when I first started?
• What can I do now that I could not do before?
• What is one skill I understand better today?
• What is one small action I can practice next?

This does not mean you should ignore experienced players. You can learn from them. But use them as a source of ideas, not as proof that you are failing.

Your progress should be measured by the distance between your earlier attempt and your current attempt.

Pause, Learn, and Play Again

Use the choice that fits your situation:

• If you feel discouraged after watching a skilled player: Take a short break from comparing and name one thing you can do better than when you started.
• If you notice one skill they do well: Turn it into one small practice goal for your next session.
• If you want to copy everything they do: Choose only one action to practice first, such as checking the map, using cover, or slowing down before aiming.
• If you do not understand why they made a choice: Watch for the situation that came before it instead of guessing that the choice was magic.
• If you are comparing scores, ranks, or wins: Remember that their experience, game time, and goals may be different from yours.
• If the comparison keeps making you want to quit: Return to a simple checkpoint and compare your current attempt with one of your own earlier attempts.

Avoid two common mistakes: treating another player’s skill as proof that you cannot improve and trying to practice every skill you noticed at once.

Your first step is to choose one useful action you noticed and write, “Next session, I will practice __________.”

Use Other Players as Signposts

An experienced gamer is like a signpost on a trail. They can show you what is possible, but they do not tell you that you should already be at the end of the path.

Notice one skill, turn it into one small practice action, and test it during your next session. Then return to your own starting point and look for the progress you are building.

After learning how to recover from unhelpful comparisons, keep building your own path in our “Start Playing” category page.