Who Is Your Competition Really?

“Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” ~ John Wooden

John Wooden was one of the most revered coaches in the history of sports. During his tenure as head coach at UCLA he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period—seven in a row— an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games. He was named national coach of the year six times. He coached his players to be the absolute best they could be every day, not just in sports, but in every aspect of their lives. Wooden also believed we can always improve but should never compare ourselves to others. Their success does not define your success or your perceived lack thereof. I have compared myself to others successes most of my adult life. Even though I built 3 very successful businesses, I would always look at my competitors and think “They have achieved more than me, they built better shopping centers or developed nicer condominium projects than we did.

What I know is that comparing yourself to others only holds you back from believing that you can be the best you can be every day. You will only rise to the heights you think you can. So why not take every day to realize you are the best you can be. But in order to do that, you have to make a choice that you will put forth your best each day. At the end of the day when you reflect, you will know your best was good enough. Start the next day with an attitude of I am going to do better than my best from yesterday.

Every day, if you push yourself just a little more, you will eventually see quantum leaps in your level of success. So I ask you…Who is your competition – really?