Play Bigger: Why Seeing "Competition" Keeps You Small

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Everyone knows there is only one person you are competing with: you. 

It’s a nice saying, but the only people I see living that truth are in higher circles of operation.

One athlete I worked with *really* exemplified this. Every day he’d show up to train during the off-season and he was always — always — looking to beat himself. He was constantly working with his team to refine his game even a small percentage more: whether it was in his diet, his workouts, or his recovery. It was fascinating how these small percentages added up.

And throughout our conversations, I don’t think he ever referenced another player in comparison to himself. He didn’t talk about them. They didn’t occupy any headspace.

I see it in business too. The people who are obsessed with their own game and pay very little attention to what others are doing — unless there is something that they could do better, or an opportunity to take over that area entirely. 

You can study the greats.

You can learn from others.

You can strategically look at the marketplace.

…but if you want to really max out?

The thing that drives you will have to be you. You have to set and hold the bar, and no one else will do it for you. 

If you use others as a comparison point, you will think and be smaller than you have the potential to become. With that in mind, let’s dive into the pitfalls of using others as competition, and how to dig into your own headspace for a bigger, better future.