For most people competitiveness is a restricted term. To be competitive, you have to “creating a gulf” between yourself and others where you can and try and match others where you can’t.
There are two ways to do this… You either better yourself or “bring the competition down”. Maybe sometimes you do both.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what is easier to do. People spend a lifetime trying to maintain that way of working. However, it takes the focus off YOU and relies on putting roadblocks in others’ path. Obviously, you cannot control the world and sooner or later someone will pass you by... especially if that is your primary way of working. This also leads to situations where you do not aim to add more to what you have… if the competition stagnates, you stagnate with it.
By contrast, the hallmark of successful people is usually talent backed by relentless application. They usually have the passion to be the best they can be at any given thing. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to be the most talented, just that they aim to make the most of what talent they do possess, and endeavour to continuously refine and expand it.
Sure you use others as benchmarks – to set goals that you must achieve. However, the focus is to add more to your arsenal, and to set higher and higher goals. In these situations, you are not afraid to share what you learn with people, because you know that you will raise the bar higher for the group and it would motivate you to be even better than what you are today. Eventually it would give you satisfaction to know that you've come a long way from where you were, and raised the general standard of your sphere of work.
I guess this is what they mean when they say that in the end the race is with your own self. I know mine is...
No comments:
Post a Comment