HAVE YOU GOT YOUR GAME FACE ON ?

Each and everyday in someway your competitive resolve is tested. Your response to that competition will affect not only you but others around you. Are you ready for that competition or for that matter do you even acknowledge that there will be competitive demands on you?

As I said, today will see you face a variety of situations that will test your competitiveness. Some you might respond to where as others you might let go by. Which is fine? But are you letting too many go through to the keeper, simply because you don't want to get involved, or it is in the too hard basket, or you are not ready to handle that situation as yet?

So as you can see and probably realise there are many reasons why you will either engage the competition or on the other hand just let it go. But what are the criteria you use to determine what you compete for and what you do not?

Once again a very general question, but one that requires your specific answer. I hope in answering the question you are able to come up with a well thought out and comprehensive criteria?

I would challenge you by saying that if you just don't get involved in the day to day competition of life, you are not really getting the best out of yourself and you definitely will not be experiencing the life you could.

Now I understand the enormity of what I just said, but I also understand the simplicity of daily competition. The day to day competitive demands on you are not to such a degree that you have to awake each and every morning and devise either an attacking or defensive strategy. It is about the realisation that everyday in someway your competitiveness will be tested.

It is your ability to respond to that competition that will determine many different facets of life. These competitive demands have been there in the past and will continue to be there in the future.

Let’s just take a brief look at some of the daily competitive demands that you perhaps face.

• Competition for acknowledgement

• Competition for recognition

• Competition for a result

• Competition for the usage of your time

• Competition for your focus

• Competition for your feelings

• Competition for your acceptance

No big deal just common everyday situations that by now you would realise that you have faced everyday. So now the question is how have you responded in the past?

Have you handled this daily competition the best way possible?

How is the best way to handle the daily competitive demands?

How long is a piece of string?

Exactly, there is no one single answer to the question. However there are strategies that can have you better prepared to handle the competitive demands when they arrive.

• Awareness

Understand that there will be competitive situations everyday and that when they do rise there head, you will recognise them and deal with the best way possible.

• Understanding

Rather than just jump into a competitive situation first really understand what the situation is about and what the demand actually is.

• Preparation

It is a little hard if not impossible to prepare for every competitive demand that is put in front of you. This is not to say though you cannot be prepared to a certain degree.
Understand you, your life the situations you place yourself in etc and prepare the best and most complete way you can to handle what will come your way from those situations.

• Judge it right

The competitive demands of everyday life will vary in size, strength and frequency. Make sure you read each competitive situation right. No sense over reacting by going to the supreme court to decide who gets the last cookie at morning tea.

• Develop a resource bank

Not only do you prepare yourself internally for these competitive demands but you also look to setting up an external strategy as well. What resources do you have available to you to help you. Opportunities, people, resources etc. Make sure you know what you have to help you deal with competitive demands of life.

The thing is with the competitive demands of life they are most often than not, just small issues that you face and have faced each and everyday. The important thing is not to let them go by, because you couldn't be bothered or you are not prepared
to handle the situation.

It is important for you to meet these competitive challenges and to deal with them the best way possible. To learn from each situation and to move on with your life better prepared for the experience and happy by the fact that you accept the challenges of life as they come.

© 2008 Total Performance Concepts Pty Ltd

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