Tag: sports

Thoughts on competing

I love competition. It just makes me happy. Some of my favorite college memories are from competing…in basketball games, beer pong tournaments, and fitness competitions (like the “Most Fit Buckeye” competition and doing out-of-state Tough Mudders). I remember doing a CrossFit-style working out and trying to beat my friend across a finish line. We both dove across a basketball gym floor (and the imaginary finish line) trying to beat each other. We probably looked ridiculous to other people at the rec center. I don’t know who won, but I know that we both laid on the floor and died laughing.

Whenever I can, I always try to win. But if I lose, I don’t let it ruin my day. I think this is a healthy measure of competitive spirit. It might have held me back from some success according to outside measures, but internally, it is what is most satisfying for me. If I lose, as long as I tried my hardest and lost, I’m usually OK with it. I look back at things and try to figure out what I need to improve on and how I can get better so that I will win next time, but that is the competitor side in me. I don’t let it ruin my day or get under my skin. I’m not going to be a bad sport about it.

Be grateful for all that you have, including the ability to compete. Many people don’t have the same opportunities as you have, and that is a reason to be grateful.

On competition – with others and yourself

When doing anything, you’re not just competing against other people. You’re really competing against yourself.

Do not be content or disheartened based on the result. Be content or disheartened by judging your level of effort. Did you give as much effort as you are willing to in order to get the result that you desired? That’s the real question…if you’re not happy with the result, change your effort, your strategy, or both.

How to lose

Don’t let your competitive side get the best of you. It’s fun to win. It sucks to lose. But keep things in perspective. Unless your livelihood or your family’s livelihood depends on you winning this game/earning the contract (whether in sports or in business), it’s probably not worth losing your cool over.

Don’t flip the monopoly board, throw the controller, or punch a wall because you lost. Everyone loses something in life. That’s just how life works. If you’re not losing in something then you aren’t pushing yourself to play against the proper competition.

When you lose, lose with dignity. You’ll maintain respect. If you lose and act like a child? People will lose respect for you.

Sport-specific training

Working on your genera fitness is great for most people. This would include your average working out like running, lifting weights, or doing yoga. But general physical preparedness (GPP, as we call it in the biz) should only be the baseline for those who are training for a specific sport or event. GPP focuses on health, but not on performance. And while you typically need to be healthy to perform at the highest level, being healthy does not necessarily translate to athletic achievement.

For example, in most sports, it helps to have one or more of the following attributes: strength, explosiveness/power, flexibility, agility, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, etc. You can easily work on all of those at the gym by yourself. But no matter your strength or conditioning level, you still need sport-specific training to work on your skills if you want to excel at your sport. It doesn’t matter how many times you hit the weights or run, those are not going to make you run a better route, use better technique, or improve your hand-eye coordination. Being more agile will not make you a better shooter, swimmer, golfer, etc.

Always work to have GPP. But if you are competing in a sport, make sure you take the time to focus on your sport-specific skills. Most of the time, if someone is highly skilled and in decent shape, they will outperform someone with low-to-moderate skill but is in great shape.