By Mikhail Bryan
So often when we think about getting better, we compare ourselves, our business or our team to others. “We need to be as profitable as _____” or “if our team played more like ____ we would win more games.” Instead of comparing ourselves to others, to external competition, I think we could focus on comparing ourselves to ourselves. When considering how to get better, we could start looking inward first, at the internal competition – ourselves.
Looking Inward
I believe shifting our focus from external to internal competition allows us to track our progress much more accurately. We look at where we are today, how good (or not good) we are currently. Then, we set a realistic goal – a level we would like to achieve in the future. How to set that goal is up to you, whether it is a team goal or individual goal, personal or organizational, etc. What matters is that the goal is measurable and realistic.
The reason this is so important is because we tend to get obsessed with those who “do it better than us.” Instead of focusing on ourselves and our own improvement, we look elsewhere to see what others are doing and try to replicate it. In this process of replication, we lose our own identity and ability to differentiate ourselves. In some extreme examples, it can lead to players dealing with hazing and abuse. (Check out our article on the current hazing lawsuit involving the CHL here.)
While competition amongst our rivals is healthy and can motivate us to get better, it should not be the driving force behind our desire to improve. If we changed our point of reference from an external one to an internal one, we would retain more of our individuality and uniqueness. This will steer us away from the kind of unhealthy competition that plagues the business and sports worlds today.
Measuring Our Steps
One way to accomplish this is to begin measuring ourselves today vs ourselves last week, last month or last year. This creates a self-fulfilling loop as we are able to constantly look back to see where we were compared to where we are today. This immediate feedback can steer any business, team or organization to unprecedented success. This changes the point of reference from external to internal, while simultaneously gaining an edge over competitors.
The most crucial aspect of this self-reflection is making sure we are assessing ourselves honestly each step of the way. It is important to be truthful in self-assessment, recognizing shortcomings as well as areas for improvement. Through this honest self-assessment, we can begin to take strides towards getting better. If we choose to gloss over our shortcomings or downplay them so as to protect ourselves or our ego, we only end up hurting ourselves in the long run. Doing this will not allow us to actually improve because we are not even aware of what needs to change or why.
The Challenge
My challenge to those reading is to begin to shift your own points of comparison and competition from external to internal. Begin to look at yourself, your team or your organization in a different way. Start comparing where you were last year to where you are today. Did you get worse, stay the same or get better? No matter what the answer to that question is – there is always room for more improvement. Compete with yourself first before your competitors, and you will find the ceilings for success are truly limitless.
Post image attribution: By: Steve Potter of stevesoilerssite.com, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
