Sunday, February 22, 2009

Spirit of Competition


A friend asked me the other day if any of the US athletes cared that I worked on other countries every now and then as they are the competition. He kind of viewed it as giving up a competitive advantage. I thought I knew the answer, but to make sure I asked some of the US athletes. To a tee, they all said the same thing, "No, I want to be the best, because I'm the best, not because someone may be hurting. If they can beat me on the ice then they deserve to win. I want to win because I've prepared, I've worked and I'm the best, I don't want to slide into first.

Being around Olympians all the time you realize a few things. They work harder and are more dedicated then 99% of most people and they all possess the spirit of competition. They love to compete. I've also come to realize that it holds true for anyone great in their profession. The better they are, the more likely they will help you out. They possess a confidence in their own abilities so they don't have a fear of yours. The small minded inferiority complex that you may see in someone that lacks a true belief in their ability to succeed isn't there. They have a peace about them. They don't fear competition. So ask yourself, do you fear competition or relish it. If it's the latter, chances are your great at what you do.

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