Competition often implies certain meanings:
– Winner takes all
– Losers are last
– Someone’s the best
– Someone’s the worst
– Many are not good enough
But it doesn’t mean this to everyone who’s out there competing. Many athletes or shall I say participants are there for that very reason to participate.
Why participate if you can’t win I hear some asking?
Well because waiting until you’re “good enough” to win may in fact be the reason you aren’t at the level required to win in the first place.
Participation is the essence of life. Engaging in the activities of life is what makes it special. Many people say to me, I’m not a competitive person. That’s fine… but are you a go getter? Do you like to have fun? Do you like to challenge yourself in new ways? Do you like surprises? Are you uplifted by new possibilities?
Many of us fear competitions. But why? Well, largely it’s the mindset we take to the competition, not the event itself.
If we were to ponder what competition means to us we will get a great insight into whether we have a win or lose mindset, a good or not good enough mindset, a success or failure mindset or whether we have more of a participate and enjoy mindset.
We are all by nature survivers. We know how to survive, we know survival is important. We need to work to support ourselves, put a roof over our heads and buy the necessary food and water. We need to shelter ourself from danger … but let’s be fucking real.
Competitions aren’t dangerous!
Perhaps we are avoiding our fears of not being good enough rather than taking on a chance to engage, to attend to participate in an event which will challenge our beliefs and change the way in which we apply ourselves to fitness.
In the heat of any competition, even with a playful mindset, our survival instincts may kick in and serve us well, calling upon superior strength and determination in order to not get left behind and stand tall in the heat of battle. But as we leave the moment, as we move past the event we can remember it was all for fun and the experience was rewarding and challenging and wonderful in many ways.
Choose a mindset that serves you rather than one that squashes you and watch your competitive performances improve, or perhaps notice your desire to compete come to fruition.
Love Tricko XX
Compete hard, embrace last and first as equally just numbers in a moment in which you gave your best and played full out.