Competition is for losers, Peter Thiel has said. As soon as you begin thinking in terms of winning or losing a competition, you are focusing on the wrong scoreboard. By competing against others, you’re establishing winners and losers where there doesn’t actually need to be. When you’re focused on the external leader board, the one which reflects events outside of your control, you have lost the mindset battle. You’re setting yourself up for negativity, poor self-talk, and frustration. The only scoreboard which counts is the internal one:
Are you displaying the kind of traits you hope to?
Are you sticking to your values?
Are you embracing hardship?
Are you sticking to the plan?
Do you believe in yourself?
Are you watching your self-talk and keeping it in check?
Are you moving well?
Are you going as quick as you can?
These are the kind of questions which really matter. Because the answers are all under your control.
Control the controllables. Forget the uncontrollable.
The only performance which matters is yours. Do what matters. Forget the rest.
Ironically, by focusing on the internal scoreboard, you’re far more likely to stand on podiums.