Sunday’s Saying … from Seth Godin

The rear view mirror is one of the most effective motivational tools ever created.

There’s no doubt that many people speed up in the face of competition. We ask, “how’d the rest of the class do?” We listen for someone breathing down our necks. And we discover that competition sometimes brings out our best.

There’s a downside, though. Years ago, during my last long-distance swim (across Long Island Sound… cold water, jellyfish, the whole nine yards), the competitiveness was pretty thick. On the boat to the starting line, there were hundreds of swimmers, stretching, bragging, prancing and working themselves up. By the time we hit the water, everyone was swimming someone else’s race. The start was an explosion of ego and adrenaline. Twenty minutes later, half the field was exhausted, with three hours left to go.

If you’re going to count on the competition to bring out your best work, you’ve surrendered control over your most important asset …

Self motivation is and always will be the most important form of motivation. Driving (or running) with your eyes on the rear view mirror is exhausting …

Read the rest of Run your own race here.

• Janis

  I always remember what the dancer  Baryshnikov said in an interview once, that he never tried to dance better than anyone else.  He always tried to dance better than himself.  That’s the gold standard — because you can’t control what other people do.  Suppose the best runner in the pack had to stay home with the flu that day?  Who do you measure yourself against then?  You only have yourself there all the time, and that’s a standard that you know intimately.  Only beat yourself.  Do that enough times, and you wind up finishing first eventually.

• http://www.JanetOberholtzer.com Janet Oberholtzer

  So true … we can’t control what others do … only what we do. Thanks for sharing!

• http://www.madebydenise.net Denise Smedley

  And this is why I’ve never paid much attention to competition other than for the sake of staying int he loop, so I know what’s going on.

  OUR best isn’t best because it’s better than the rest… our best is just the best version of OURSELVES .  I’ve found that I’ve done my best work when I stay focused and don’t compare.

• http://www.JanetOberholtzer.com Janet Oberholtzer

  Exactly!