Why you are your best competition?

“The only person you should try to be better than… is the person you were yesterday”

This wasn't my quote –either today or yesterday- but instead another fine piece of motivational advice by Tony Robbins, which perfectly illustrates the point of this post.

Whilst its natural to want to compare yourself with others it's a rarely a fair comparison because for the most part you are comparing their best features against your average ones. If you extrapolate and make this comparison with the general population across most of your skills talents and expertise, then it’s not hard for this competitive analysis to quickly become self-destructive . 

No matter how good you are, there will always be someone, and in reality quite a few someones’, out there better than you at something if not everything you are or do.

Unfortunately by comparing yourself to others you allow them, not you, to drive your behaviour. You have already lost control .

However you instantly regain control if you can reframe your focus onto the one thing that you’re definitely better at thaneveryoneelse which is Being You. 

The comparison of your skills talents and expertise is then only with you and suddenly this comparison is much fairer all round. When Life becomes about being a better version of yourself and all your effort and energy go towards achieving this, it also becomes a much more fulfilling place to be.

Warren Buffet calls this the inner scorecard and observesthat “the big question about how people behave is whether they’ve got an inner scorecard or an outer scorecard. It helps if you can be satisfied with an inner scorecard.” 

This drive to be the best you can be-this inner scorecard -is an important part of the MTQ 4C’s mental toughness framework within the Challenge component and it helps develop your positive framing about yourself as well as your desire to improve your capability. This is why you are your best competition.

How do you compare with You from yesterday?

More Mental Toughness from Paul Lyons 

To learn more about the MTQ Plus and  mental toughness contact Paul Lyons on 0419 224 875 or [email protected]at  Mental Toughness Partners

Paul Lyons is an experienced CEO and mental toughness practitioner who coaches leaders to improve their performance and wellbeing by developing their mental toughness. 

View our range of workshops and coaching packages

Thanks to Cristiano Pedroso Roussado for sharing their work on Unsplash.