Overcoming oneself

Every successful person knows that it’s impossible to be successful without overcoming oneself.
This is a fierce competition.
It’s not about being better than everyone else but it’s about having enough fight in you to dominate yourself.
It takes more strength to be victorious over your own thoughts than to compete with someone else.

See, we got it all mixed up. We have been conditioned to be better than others.
Our entire education system is designed to encourage this behavior and script people to compete with one another. Our reward systems are based on being better than others, completely ignoring the progress made, showing that we are better than before.

Each morning when you wake up and get ready for school, work, or whatever it may be, pay a very close attention to that person you see in the mirror.
Look at him, remember what he looks like, study him, for he is your biggest competitor. He knows all the secrets of your trade. He knows your strengths and weaknesses. He knows what you are planning next, and he knows your fears. He is one step ahead. He knows what you project before you execute.

You mean to tell me that this man is the least of your worries and you would rather focus on someone else to compete with?

This is another ball game.

To be able to align your actions, thoughts, habits, behavior, with your core value system, that is the goal. One most difficult to achieve.
It requires to be silent when that man wants to speak. It requires to apologize and say sorry when that man’s ego rises up. It requires to speak up when thrown in an uncomfortable environment.
It requires to have the courage to cry when that man toughens up and sees tears as a sign of weakness. It requires to let go when that man holds for dear life to the habits, thoughts or things that are holding you back.
It requires to act even you don’t feel like it.

Overcoming this man is not easy. Each day is a new battle.
I catch myself smiling sometimes, when I make myself do something that I don’t have the slightest desire to do, because I know that while that man is killing himself with annoyance, I’m winning and showing him who’s boss.
Sometimes I smile when I bring myself to say “I’m sorry” when that man’s ego is completely crushed and I know he is dying inside. I win.

Now, who are you up against again? Yourself.