Competing vs. Competitive Mindset

Competition. It means something a little different for every individual — and it should. The first thought that typically comes to mind when discussing competition as it relates to CrossFit is the CrossFit Games- a test for exceptionally fit athletes who compete for the title of being the fittest in the world.

While this may be the more obvious idea of competition, it’s not how it actually permeates into the everyday life of the recreational CrossFit athlete or every individual trying to live a healthy and full life. As we move through our July focus of bringing CF Games workouts into our affiliate, we’re going to take a look into what “competing” looks like for everyday athletes

What does it mean to compete? This could be as simply put as challenging yourself. Sometimes this means challenging yourself relative to the performance of others, but most often it pertains to your past performance as an individual. 

There are benefits to both perspectives. Being a competitive athlete and being competitive are not the same. Where some train to be the fittest among their peers, others should simply strive to improve their performance using a variety of metrics and strategies, both internal and external.

Athletes who compete in the sport of CrossFit develop a high degree of mental fortitude that transcends fitness into other facets of their lives such as success in the workplace or in relationships. We want everyone to experience these benefits, but not everyone needs to try to be Tia-Clair Toomey to get those intangible results. Being competitive isn’t about participating in a competition, it’s about constantly pushing through new challenges.

The challenge as an athlete in our sport, and yes you are all athletes, is to bridge the gap between just being competitive and building resilience through a competitive mindset. Stay humble, stay hungry to learn, and train to improve vs. training to feed your ego.