I was reading the book Relentless by Tim Grover (again), when I caught a sentence that really stood out. I have read this book a few times and I guess I never noticed it before.
Grover says, you have to “crave the result so intensely that the work to get it doesn’t matter.”
We’ve all heard things like “find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in our life.” But what about doing the things you don’t necessarily love? What if you could muster a way in your brain to make that which you do not enjoy, enjoyable?
You can, through competition.
If you are a competitor, anything you set your mind to will be completed at full speed, accurate, and with tenacity. The competitive drive is what moves some of us to do hard things, be comfortable being uncomfortable, to seek adventure, to do those things others WILL NOT so we are able to do things others CAN NOT.
For competitors, I mean truly relentless, ruthless, “kill ‘em all” type competitors, there is no destination. There is only the process. Focusing on the pursuit of excellence is what motivates us to do the things which we do not want to do. We understand that we must do them. There is no option. Why? Because we care competing, even with ourselves, to always improve, always reach higher and farther, to achieve. We celebrate wins only for a short time, then set our goals and sights on the next thing and get back to work, always grinding to out-do the last performance.
Does it always work. Nope.
Failure is inevitable and certain. Importantly, competitors find a way to make failure work for them. Capture the lessons. Apply them. Get better. Work on your strengths and work harder on your weaknesses.
Anyone can gain this attitude, but it is a choice. Nothing in your life can be above the competition you set with yourself. If you let something come between you and the process, you are losing. Choose to go for the run. Choose to not eat the cake. Choose to read instead of watching Netflix. Choose to get up early. Choose to balance your mind, body and soul. Choose to be happy.
Choose to win.