A little healthy competition never hurt anyone. If you ever played sports or competed in anything else, you know how competition can create a fire that propels you forward.
Without the external pressure of an opponent right in front of you, it can be difficult to find that competitive edge. This is why sometimes you need to create it for yourself.
The word competition from a Latin word meaning ‘to conspire with or conspire together’. When you break down the term ‘self-competition’ you’re really asking “How can I conspire with mySELF, so all versions of me can be on the same team, and push forward together?”
Training Season
Part of gaining a competitive edge is training yourself to be in peak performance shape.
That doesn’t necessarily mean going out and pumping iron, although working on your physical endurance can certainly help you push forward in other areas of your life.
There are so many ways to train yourself to work towards your goals. What tools do you use to help you gain that competitive edge so you can reach your goals? Some great tools to turn to are:
- Developing an affirmation practice.
- Creating specific organization systems.
- Working with a business/life coach or mentor.
Focusing on the “you vs you” mentality makes you realize that the only competition or comparison that needs to take place is with yourself.
As you tap into this spirit, try asking yourself “Can I be a little bit better than who I was yesterday? What conscious decisions can I make to help me get there?”
Stay in Your Lane
It can be so easy to get caught up in the game of comparison. Constantly weighing yourself against what other people are doing, or what their life appears like on social media.
While it’s good to seek out inspiration and make connections, comparison mode doesn’t do anyone any favors. In fact, it’s a huge energy drainer. It takes your focus away from you and your goals and puts false perceptions on people who aren’t really your competition at the end of the day.
When you tap into the spirit of self-competition, comparison mode starts to fall by the wayside. Staying in your own lane means to focus on what’s in front of you, what your goals are, how you can work with yourself to push forward. This shift of focus inwards helps you not get caught up in what everyone else is doing.
This form of self-preservation helps you to channel your energy in ways that will actually help you compete with yourself to reach your goals.
H2: Recovery Time
Training isn’t always about pushing forward and building strength. Rest and recovery are just as important as building strength.
People assume that the best athletes are the ones that make the shot every time. Take Tiger Woods for example. Arguably one of the best professional golfers on the planet. He isn’t the best because he hits the ball perfectly every time, or most time even. He’s one of the best because he knows how to recover when something goes wrong.
What does that mean in terms of reaching your goals?
“Mistakes” happen. Especially in the world of entrepreneurship. When you miss your shot, instead of looking at these as mistakes or failures, try looking at them as learning lessons. Allowing yourself to learn from yesterday is how you grow and evolve as a human.
When you reflect on something that you wished had gone differently, ask yourself how you can position yourself for that second shot so that you can recover, and make the shot.
Self Reliance and Trust
When you understand how to have healthy competition with yourself, you start to build a strong sense of self-reliance and trust in your own abilities.
You start to truly see what you’re capable of, and how every step you take helps you get even closer to your goals and where you want to be in life.
When you know that you can rely on your own abilities to push forward, you gain a sense of confidence in yourself that is palpable to the people around you. You start to trust yourself and your choices more and more. This belief in yourself and your abilities starts to open you up to new possibilities and opportunities.
Start asking yourself how you can increase your competitive edge with YOU.
What strengths do you want to work on to take yourself to the next level?
What are the greatest strengths that you bring to the table (or the field)?
You have what it takes. Remember to train yourself by constantly working on self-improvement, staying in your own lane, and leaving time for recovery. Game time!
