The Competitive Nudge You Can Use to Win Every Day
Everyone’s a winner.
Is competition good or bad?
The pinnacle of sporting success, achievement and competition can usually be witnessed every 4 years at the Olympic Games.
Whether these events interest you, or you’d prefer to be spending your time doing something completely at odds to anything that raises the heart rate, there is a plethora to witness of what can only be described as healthy competition and good sportsmanship.
I’m using this elite level example, not as a motivational tool, but more because of its familiarity to the majority.
Every Olympic year, there are records broken which further extend how much the human body is capable of exceeding its previous maximum effort.
How is this possible?
Surely there must be some limit to the sack of flesh of bones we have become so comfortable with as a species.
But it turns out the answer is a resounding no.
So what magic formula allows this continual improvement? And what can we learn from it in our slightly more sedentary lives?
Mental or physical?
From being an avid armchair supporter of athletic competition since day dot, I have witnessed many stories of both success and failure.
Despite the outcome for each individual, there were certainly some common traits amongst them that weren’t based on their physicality and sporting prowess.
It was centered on their mindset.
One of these attitudes often begins with the athlete’s initial inspiration to begin their journey of dedication, the story of which can be heard through media interviews.
Their story could be about watching someone relatable and wanting to mimic or exceed their achievement, because if they can do it then why can’t I.
Another inspiring factor could be the final achievement itself, with all the pomp and circumstance that goes along with it; the gold medal; standing on the podium; the applause from the crowd; the national anthem.
Some are very drawn to this attention for a variety of their own personal reasons.
Whatever may have been the inspiration, the competition begins early, as that’s how progress is made, and endeavoring to reach the next tier of success can only be done through comparison with those who are also at that higher level.
What have they done to get where they are, and how can I do the same…or better?
Sibling rivalry
At this point, I will take the story away from Olympic glory and bring it into the real world.
Growing up as the middle of three brothers, there has always been a level of competitiveness, just like many siblings the world over.
This is often referred to as sibling rivalry, and of course, this exists, but there are different outcomes for this existence that are both healthy and almost secretive in their manifestation, as well as the obvious unhealthy results if it’s taken too far in the wrong direction.
Thankfully, from my own experience, this has been kept predominantly on the healthy side of the coin, with no huge fallouts or long-lasting grudges.
It has rarely, if ever, been a blatant aspect of our relationship, but instead an unintended nudge between us at various times in our lives when it became most needed.
Without needing to outwardly discuss it, refer to it passively, or even let the messages take a secret squirrel route through others, the competitive nudge was felt and acted upon accordingly, to allow all three of us to slowly make progress at the times that were right for our individual situation.
Some might say this is a special family bond thing that not everybody can benefit from.
I would wholeheartedly disagree with that theory, as it’s more of a relationship based attitude that can occur between any two or more people who genuinely support each other in striving for self-improvement.
Be better than you were before
Going back to my initial example of Olympic level athletes, who spend their lives competing and pushing themselves to always be better than they were before…
Although not impossible, it is the existence and knowledge of other’s abilities which set the bar to reach for everyone else, without which the motivation to push hard enough may not be there.
So whatever bar has been set by someone else, that you’d like to achieve or improve upon, the most important thing to do is not use it as a reason to think negatively about your own current ability, but instead, as evidence that it is possible if the necessary work is given to making or exceeding that improvement.
Take a moment to think about the achievements you’d like to acquire.
Is there anyone who is closer to that goal and could be an inspiration for you?
The goal itself doesn’t necessarily have to be specific, like with my brothers, our individual progress has been along different paths, yet the rate of progress seems to track fairly closely.
So use that competitive nudge to be continually successful at the rate that works for you.
Take personal responsibility for your own success, and be wary not to take the dark path of bringing others down to feel better about yourself.
