Competition is by definition the activity or action of competing. We start at a young age being programmed to compete in every single aspect of our lives. We then turn everything thing we do into a comparison with others. Competition belongs in sports and certain places in life. Healthy competition can be fun and build character, but should always be accompanied by humility and graceful losses. I grew up playing sports and learned so much about winning, losing, and sportsmanship. We were taught to respect the competition, these lessons hold true for competition in adulthood too!

Ahh humility, the thing humanity has lost sight of. This need to be “something” at all costs. The constant striving to be “more than” the person next to us. When in reality we should only be worried about our own goals.

Why am I talking about this? It’s this reoccurring theme I keep encountering and seeing around me. The need to compete with others. The knee jerk reaction to prove you are the original version in whatever you are doing. I’m going to let you all in on a secret….you are only in competition with your own ego. You are the only thing holding you back or allowing yourself to be upset by what someone else is doing.

We all seek inspiration from somewhere. Sometimes a person inspires us and it lights a fire in us to do something similar. There have been so many people who have inspired and led me to the exact place I am right now. We all begin somewhere and usually there is a person behind that beginning. We begin humble and filled with gratitude only to find success and shred every ounce of humility we once had. If you’re doing it right that humility should stay with you. We should remain grateful, and continue to seek inspiration in people and places around us. If we are lucky enough we begin to inspire others. That doesn’t make you better than the people seeking you out. It means you’re resonating and reaching peoples hearts and souls. The greatest compliment I can get in doing my work is for someone to have been so inspired by what I’m doing they try to strike out on their own and do it too! People teach through their actions and words. You inspire others through your authenticity and humility. The second you lose those two things your ego creeps in and you begin to lose touch with reality. That reality is that you are never better than anyone else, that is just a lie you tell yourself in place of your insecurities.

When I say there is enough for everyone I mean it. You may be doing your spin on what someone else has done, and they probably did the same. Most great ideas come from the inspiration of someone else’s great work. Can we please start lifting each other up and truly wanted other people to succeed? The energy you put out when you are hoping someone fails is the exact energy that will come back and smack you in the face. Being humble about your successes doesn’t mean not being proud or celebrating yourself. It means if you’re truly successful, then your work and ethics will speak for itself.

You are only in competition with yourself. If you’re working hard and chasing your dreams don’t keep looking into the lane next to you, stay focused on the finish line, YOUR finish line and YOUR goals.

My mom wrote down this quote she saw on a show and it was simple but profound. It was something to the effect of ” Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone else Chapter 10″ . We do this all the time. Always wishing were were at someone else’s chapter 10. We see their end result and need to be there now. What we don’t see is all the struggles that they walked through to get where you want to be. Focus on you, don’t worry about what other people are doing. And if someone is doing things similar or imitating you, be flattered, it just means you’re doing something right. Chase those dreams and do what you YOU want, don’t worry about who’s done it before you or who going to try to imitate it. There is only ONE you, and no one else can be YOU.