Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is - Compete

Competing truly separates the men from the boys; the fighting from the fleeting; the true from the fake. A lot of people like to talk of a big game, but actually playing is something else. Being the best where you are is great, as long as that place is a competition amongst the best available. If you’re the strongest lifter at your gym, best baller at the YMCA, or the most fit person at your box you’re just that; the best among the worst. So when someone leaves the sanctity of their dojo and puts their money where their mouth is we should all tip our hats to them.

In the arena of powerlifting it takes a lot of guts to slap on the singlet and test yourself in front of a patiently waiting crowd. What are they waiting for? For you to either break a record or crumble under an easy weight. At least that’s how you feel during your first competition. When a lifter carries a lot of pride on his shoulders, it will always add to the weight of his lifts.

That seems to be the reason why God humbles so many new lifters. Sometimes you show up at your first meet and you break a record.

Other times you play it just right and you get a medal.

Then sometimes you don’t get any of the lifts that you thought you would.

But the worst is when you bomb out on a lift and don’t even get a total.

Being the best from where you are can build a huge ego. Eventually this ego becomes a part of you, and a part of your self-worth. That huge ego will stay with you, until eventually it burns up in flames. I’ve seen many decent lifters decline the option to compete because they didn’t want to “lose.” These lifters all let the daily affirmation of being “strongest” be the only confirmation they needed to keep their ego.

 In 1916 on of the world’s largest zepplins was floated around the world. It was obnoxiously big and just as obnoxiously admired. But, like any big ego, it eventually crashed into flames.

Matthew 20:16 says that those who are first will be last, and those who are last will be first. This doesn’t mean that losing a competition makes you winner; sorry but you’ll still probably get picked last in pickup games. It’s all about where your head is. If you are cocky winner, then God will make sure that you understand what losing feels like. This is speaking from experience as both an athlete and a coach.

So when you’ve screwed your head on right you’ll realize that competing is the obvious next step – but winning that competition requires you to remain humble and drop the ego.