" ಮಂತ್ರಾಲಯ ವೈದಿಕ ಪಾಠಶಾಲ - ಗಯಾ ತೀರ್ಥ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ "

                                   We are living in an era of intense competition: whether it is in education, sports, business, corporate affairs or any other area of common interest in life.

According to J.Coakley [1994], a sports psychologist: Competition is a social process that occurs when rewards are given to people on the basis of performance compared to the performances of others participating in the same event.

It is a universal truth that – in order to excel in competition an individual or a team has to prepare and execute what is learnt – in a calm, relaxed, positive and optimistic frame of mind. Coach’s prophesise to the idea that athletes must give 100% while in competition and let the better player/team win and not about things that are not in one’s control – like the strength of the opponent, his rating, how well he is prepared and executes on a given day.

What is in the locus of control of any competitor is the way he reaches inside and measures against – what philanthropist and businessman Warren Buffet calls `his own internal yardstick.  Whether you lived up to your best or fell short on your personal yardstick.

You can’t blame the venue, the weather, the coach, the referee or the crowd for your poor performance. It’s always you. You are responsible for your success and downfall: If you win it’s because of you and if you don’t do so it’s also because of you. Your competitor is not on the other side of the court it’s the person you see in the mirror every day and that’s you.

In any competition, whatever its magnitude- the challenge is not the competition or the opponent it’s within the challenger at all time. As Edmund Hillary rightly said- It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.

What stops us from being the best is our own fragilities- our insecurities, our anxieties, our lack of confidence or too much of it, our inability to concentrate or maintain the ideal mental balance while in competition. This is what prompted Bobby Knight- the famous basketball coach to say- Your biggest opponent isn’t the other guy: its human nature. 

Every day you wake up, strive to do better than what you did yesterday: pushing for those little accomplishments that will keep motivating you for bigger deeds.

The advantages of being your own competitor

1 You will know your strengths and weaknesses.

2. You will develop self-awareness and begin to take necessary action.

3 Pushing your limits will encourage and motivate you upwards.

4 You will raise the bar and improve your overall standards.

5 You will not be intimidated by your opponents or be bothered by outcomes.

I was talking to a swimmer from India who trained years before in the same camp [in USA] as the legendary swimmer Michael Phelps did. In one of the camp meets he was lined up a few places to where Phelps was standing and he felt overwhelmed by the presence of the great swimmer- conscious of his presence all the time. When I asked him what would he do if happened to be competing with Michael Phelps again: he said- `` I will swim my race he will swim his. His record is his record however great it might be, my duty is to compete against myself and improve my timings: that’s all I can do.’’ 

So, my dear athletes, the next time you are in the pool or on a track- Swim your own race, focus on your lane and your track record and how you can better your best. Who knows- One day it may be good enough to be a world record.    

      Author

M N VISHWANATH, Mental conditioning coach for sports persons