Speed is relative. So is success.

Speed is relative. So is success.
Runners often get the same first question from non-runners,
"Are you fast?"

My unsatisfying answer: It depends.

Most people could beat me sprinting 100 feet.
Plenty of adults might outperform me at 100 yards.
But if we're talking 100 miles? The field thins considerably.

Context shapes everything.

Among office workers, I'm an athlete.
Among ultrarunners, I'm middle of the pack.
Same me, different context.

This same relativity haunts every business decision:

Your company's growth looks great...
until you benchmark against the category leader.

Your team seems high performing...
until you visit a company with two decades more experience.

Your product feels innovative...
until a competitor leapfrogs it.

The trap isn't comparison.
It's choosing the wrong reference point.

Too often we oscillate between two extremes:
Inflated confidence from outperforming the average.
Crushing doubt from comparing ourselves to the extraordinary.

The answer isn't to stop measuring.
It's to be intentional about which race you're running.

Pick your distance.
Pick your competition.
Then run YOUR race.

Being fast is meaningless if you're running the wrong direction (or the wrong distance).