Competitiveness…
It is 6.00 AM during a 45 mins workout. With a Euro bio-clock the Australian ‘early rise’ was a shocker. In the warm gym, I am working hard to sweat the night out and soak the morning in. And all the sudden awareness is present. Other people around me are smiling and making easy interactions. It just simply doesn’t match with the wiring of my sports mind. With a smile, I continue focused, serious and eager to complete the reps. Pushing myself to do it well ánd get it over with.
Matt Fraser is the Fittest Man on Earth – A title won through the Crossfit Games. Not once. Multiple times. When it comes to competitiveness conversations are drawn to the competition. With others. However Matt is an embodiment of the understanding that to beat the opponent, you need to win the competition with yourself.
‘I did yesterday what you didn’t. I can today what you can’t’
With the arrival of the 1st December, summer is here. In the language of Beach Volleyball, that means, the season has arrived. The Australian summer kicks off with multiple state events followed by the national tour across the country. I can feel the vibe changing in the training environment. Not only the athletes ánd coaches fuelled with events around the corner. Logically, we train to compete. Compete to win.
However, the purpose ‘compete’ and ‘win’ is associated with a race to 21 points. Beating others to it. “Others” refers to other athletes, teams, countries. Not merely referring to individual performance. The reality is that the Olympic Games might be the first opportunity to compete internationally. Therefore, the vital ingredient for motivation, competition, needed to be reframed.
The competitiveness, supposedly, should be intrinsic. Back to Matt Fraser and the 6.00 AM workouts. How do you want to live? What do you do to thrive? To live your life to the fullest of your abilities?
Inner competitiveness is a continuous journey of growth
Thriving. Train to Compete. Never finding yourself at a point where you’re comfortable enough. The magic lies in the addition of enough. People who thrive embrace challenges and ask themselves how they can grow and learn. What is possible, and what can we make possible.
Without the option of tournaments, the new competition is ourselves. Knowing what we did yesterday will determine what we can today.
I see an undeniable advantage. When genuinely embracing the competition with yourself, the one with others becomes a playground. Optimising your controllables enhances self-controlled satisfaction. Being in control ignites confidence and self-belief. Aren’t those the essential ingredients for any champion …
This content is produced by Margo Wiltens who is the Accredited Partner of Integrus Global in Adelaide, Australia and also an Individuality and high-performance coach through her company, The Coachlife Company, & SloCoach.
Margo uniquely combines her sporting determination with the Integrus products to deliver high-performance, life-changing coaching for people who are determined to make a Change for Good
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