Image by phogel via Flickr
I was on the final leg of my third workout of the morning. It was a perfect summer morning and as I pulled up to a red light on my bike I exhaled into a smile. Another rider pulled up beside me. He was over 6 feet tall, muscular and clearly a far more experienced rider than me. We chatted about the day and the beautiful weather until the light changed. As we said our ‘’good days’ in one fluid motion he was nearly a block ahead of me. Without even thinking, I gave chase. I ignored my already weary legs, dug down and began pedaling faster than I ever had (I only took up riding again two months ago). The world around me became a blur as I focused on one thing – catching my opponent.
I did catch up two lights later. This time I came to my senses and my destination and did not give chase when the light changed. I admit, I have a bit of a competitive streak (it’s why I hate the gym, I always want to be the last one standing on the treadmill) but it’s mostly harmless. As I replayed the ride, I realized that trying to keep pace with a more experienced, faster rider had allowed me to push through to a new level. In my quest to keep up with a stronger opponent I had forgotten “my place” and simply rode like the wind.
In the days following my wild ride, I rode faster and harder, because I knew I could. My confidence soared right along with the numbers on my heart rate monitor. I had a new base thanks to my competitor.
People that are better than you are, whether it’s in sports or business, are an essential part of your own growth. If we surround ourselves with people on or below our level we may never know our own capabilities. Challenge yourself to explore your own limits by competing with someone you know is faster, stronger and smarter than you. You may not beat them but you are guaranteed to up your own game.
In business and life, there is never a lack of opponents. While I am not suggesting that we constantly pursue world domination, it is healthy to challenge yourself to compete at a higher level. It is easy to become complacent with our success, especially if we are the top dog in the puppy store. But, it is so satisfying when we push a little harder and discover that we are capable of even more.
Who is stronger, better, faster than you in your industry or job? How can you compete with them in a way that makes you better?
Hi Brooke! Thanks so much for your comment. It’s always a pleasure to meet and interact with anyone from The High Calling 🙂 Excellent point about keeping pride in check. Just as we can compare and beat ourselves up for not measuring up we can also do the opposite and allow our flesh to make us feel “superior.” Thanks for the great reminder to walk in humility!
Karen, what a necessary reminder. I feel good when surrounded by people I think I can outpace, but this is an illusion with only temporary benefits.
Great post. I agree; healthy competition is a major motivator. Keeping pride in check is sometimes tricky here. I can totally identify with the gym comparrison!
I found you at The High Calling.
Keep Riding,
Brooke
Alina, your mother sounds like a very wise woman. 🙂 Your comment raises such a great point about how we use competition and the dangers of comparisons. There are those who suffer from insecurities and surround themselves with people below their level to mask their own fears – that is as unhealthy as beating up on yourself for not measuring up to the accomplishments of someone above you. Competition should inspire and motivate us to improve and become a better version of ourselves. Thank you Alina for sharing you and your mother’s wisdom. 🙂
Growing up, my mother always told me comparing myself with people who were below my level was the wrong approach. Of course it started with grades 🙂 If i came home with an 8 or 9 (out of 10) I would always say most of my class had the same grade or lower. She used to ask if there were any classmates with higher grades. Sometimes there were and she said that was who I should compare myself with, in order to push myself to work harder.
That was true then and also true later in life. A little healthy competition is always welcome, as long as you don’t let it run your life and turn it into a bad impression of yourself. It works in sports, business and life in general, because we always need to challenge our limits and seek inspiration in those better than us.
As you’ve said, there will always be a top dog to compete with. And I’ve always seen competition as a source of inspiration and motivation. Thank you for the great reminder!
David, such great insight. You are right that competition can be a great thing and lead to improvements and innovations. Learning that we don’t always win is also an important lesson. Thanks for the comment!
Meryl, that competitive spirit can definitely be a double edged sword. I have to work on maintaining a balance and admittedly I am not always successful. I agree with you it can be dangerous if we’re always measuring ourselves against others – been there too and it was not a healthy place.
Karen
Good competition is what makes the world succeed! We compete to improve ourselves, our companies and our country. What kills companies or nations or individuals is when we settle for ‘everyone gets a ribbon’. No. In the competive world there are winners…and losers. And that’s the most healthy thing we can ask for.
I’m a competitive gal like you, Karen. Both a good and bad thing for me. Though I’m not trying to compete, but I like to be the last one standing on the elliptical even when people started after I did.
Downside is that it can bring a person down when comparing to others. But we all have different paths and lifestyles. For one, I need my sleep and cannot always be on the go, so I keep my work manageable. Knowing this doesn’t always help the competitive spirit in me stay calm.