It’s often someone’s low self-esteem that causes them to feel that way and being like that doesn't make them feel better, it only pulls their self-esteem down even more.
Competition is healthy and someone’s success, particularly in your field of enterprise can weigh you down but it should inspire you because if someone else can do it, it means that you can too.
You may have to learn different practices, change your way of thinking and change your approach but competition is healthy and with the right attitude, it can raise your game and help you to move on.
However, for me, the main competition isn’t with anyone else, it’s with myself.
I tend to look at it this way. My goal in life isn’t to be better than you. I’m not here to beat you. The only person I’m interested in improving on is me.
I have dreams and goals and by getting better than I was, it will help me move forward towards them. It means that if I improve my attitude, work smarter and harder and keep the reasons why I want to achieve in front of me, I’ve more chance to do so.
The reasons why I still want to move on and achieve more are the things that are going to help me on my path. If I don’t lose sight of the reasons why I want to move forward, the challenges in front of me won’t seem as bad and won’t stop me from facing them, stepping out of my comfort zone and working towards them.
If you have everything you want out of life, and I’m not necessarily talking about a bigger house or car, more money in the bank, the ability to travel where and what you want to, then what I’m saying probably won’t apply to you. After all, we all don’t want the same. It doesn’t mean that I’m right and that you’re wrong, it’s all about what makes you happy.
For me, I have this desire deep down to be better than I was yesterday. I have this constant desire to be a better me. It’s not about being better than you. It’s not about being better off than you or having nicer things. It’s not about me being better-known or more liked.
I enjoy learning more, understanding more. I’m curious...about all sorts of things. I enjoy reading self-improvement books and getting those, “aah! I get it!” moments. I want to be a more rounded, nicer person.
But I don’t want to be better than anyone else. That’s not me.
But here’s the thing. The ‘why’ is the most important thing for all of us. Everything starts with a ‘why?’
Ask yourself why you do what you do on a regular basis? Do you love your job or are you just doing it for the money? Why do you go out jogging whether it’s raining or not? Why are you sitting on the edge of a riverbank at 5 in the morning?
The problem is that so many of us stop asking ourselves that question. We get into a groove and on we go without any thought.
As children, we dreamed big dreams. As we got older, often we got talked out of chasing after them, told to be more practical.
How many of us started work in a job that we thought would do to get us into the workforce only to find ourselves on a path that wasn’t what we wanted to be on? Sadly, far too many.
Life tends to get in the way for so many of us.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way. I’ve noticed that even in times of recession, some people still move on. And I’ll say this bluntly – it isn’t just luck!
Those who continually move on in life, tend to keep their eye on the prize. And the prize is their ‘why?’
Yes, some will get there using underhanded tactics, without ethical practices and some will even do it illegally. People are people.
But most will work diligently toward their goal, failing often on their path, but using the experience as a lesson, dusting themselves off and moving on. Often it will 2 steps forward and 3 steps back but they'll keep ploughing on until the obstacle is overcome and they proceed toward their goal.
Some may never reach their ultimate goal no matter how hard they try but they’ll be a whole lot further toward it than they would have been if they hadn’t had a reason to keep trying.
I’ve been trying for years. I’ve lost everything twice and had to start over but I learned so much during those times of failure, that it’s helped me in the long run. Will I reach my goals? Only time will tell. I’m not finished yet. I still have my ‘why’ that keeps me going though.
But it’s not about me, it’s about you.
As I said earlier if you’re happy with your life and where you want to be then I’m pleased for you. It’s a great place to be.
If, however, you’re not, then take a look at your ‘why.’ It’s never too late to make a fresh start. Colonel Sanders didn’t even start selling his mother’s chicken recipe until he’d retired from work and was struggling on his retirement income. Had he not struggled, we’d probably never have heard of Kentuck Fried Chicken.
My hope is that if you haven’t achieved what you want yet, you still have the desire to keep going. There’s still plenty to live for.
If you’re not satisfied with your life, have a think about your ‘why.’
I truly believe we’re all capable of getting more out of life if we know what we really want from it, and apply ourselves in search of a way to move toward it, we can take more and more steps toward it.
And if you’re on that road and you’ve faced challenges, congratulations! You’re learning things that will help in the long run.
And if you are facing challenges, I’ll leave you with this poem that’s helped me when times have been tough.
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It might be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
The problem for most people is belief !! They may well have their "Why" and when the why is big enough the "How" (or the price) doesn't matter ! However, unless you have unwavering belief in your own ability to achieve your goal.... your "Why" then you will never make it, the first person that says "you're never gona do that' will affect your attitude, your determination,then another person laughs at you etc etc, until eventually a lot of people give up on their dream or goal, and its sad, but 95% of people are in this catoagory !
ReplyDeleteThats why there are so few people that actually become what they really aspire to become, or achieve what they set out to achieve !
What the mind can concieve and believe, it can achieve, but the most important word in that statement is "Believe" because if you dont believe you absolutely wont achieve, so its all about belief, as you said, we are all capable of amazing things, we can all achieve what we set out to achieve, if we couldn't, the mind would not be able to concieve it in the first place !
Afterall apart from air and water, everything you pick,touch and look at,was once just an idea concieved in someones head, in someones imagination, and they truly belived they could achieve it, and they did, Im not saying that once you believe it, thats it job done, Im saying that once you have that unshakable belief and faith in yourself, ability to achieve it presents itself, you find a way ! You may fail many times, colonel sanders did, James Dyson did, and so did many others, Thomas Eddison failed 3,000 times in his quest to invent the tungsten light bulb, although he said he didn't fail, he just found 3,000 ways that it wouldn't work �� but its all about your why be so big, so important, and that have a burning desire, an unfaltering belief, that will drive you to your goal, if not, you will give up when you hit a hurdle !