Scared to Compete

"You don't deserve anything! You earn everything you got! Nobody's gonna give you anything!" 
Boys and girls across the world are hearing these words in different languages from athletic coaches, teachers, and parents.

When I think of competing, one of the first people that pops into my mind is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Many people consider Arnold to be the greatest bodybuilder to have ever stepped foot on earth. He's also pretty good at making action movies. Arnold even made his way into the Governor's mansion of  California. Not shabby for a guy from Austria that wasn't even his father's favorite son. See, Arnold's dad thought that he was conceived from an affair. When you read Arnold's story, one thing comes to mind. What motivated him to become the man that he became? Mr.Olympia, Terminator, Governor...

Oprah Winfrey grew up in poverty. She was abused early in her childhood and sent to live with her father because her mother didn't want to raise her. What motivated her to become Oprah? A black woman that just so happens to be worth a billion dollars?

Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States. His father died in an automobile accident before he was even born. His mother eventually remarried. In regards to his stepfather, President Clinton states, "He remembers that his step father was a gambler and an alcoholic that physically abused his mom and half brother." What motivated him to become the 42nd President of the United States?

I sat back and thought about it for awhile. And I decided that these people were successful because they embodied the following characteristics:

1) Playing the game. 
We're all scared to fail. But I would bet that most successful people fear not being able to compete more than losing. What's worse... Playing the game and losing? Or standing on the sidelines and watching everyone else play the game?

2)A person that works hard with good talent can become more successful than the person with average work ethic and excellent talent.  
 I remember watching an interview of Michael Jordan. And the guy interviewing him asked him if he had ever played against a basketball player with more talent than he had? Jordan smiled, and said yes. He had played against alot of guys with more talent than him, but for whatever reason they never made it. In his words, those guys either just didn't work hard enough, got caught up living a hard knock life, or it just wasn't meant to be...

3)Presence
Its not measurable, but you know it when you see it. When these people walk into a room, you wonder who they are.

4)Persistence
Even in defeat a true winner gets off the ground and dusts themselves off. One of my professors told me once while I was applying to schools that you might get letters telling you no, but that I only needed one school to send me a letter saying yes. That holds true in all aspects of life. One door may close but if you're patient another door will open up that may lead you to greater heights.

5)Never took an opportunity for granted
When presented with an opportunity to better themselves, they made the most of it.

6)Faith in a vision
Even when no one else believed in their dreams, they saw their path.

7)Making money wasn't their main motivation,  their main motivation was to achieve their full potential. 
Money comes and goes, but what's better than having someone walk up to you one day and say..."You're one of the best that ever did it."

8) A desire to compete. 
A passion for your field of choice. A desire to work hard when no ones looking. Thats what we love as a human race. Survival of the fittest.

So it begs to be asked about American society...

1) Are we working hard enough?


2) Are we more consumed about choosing a profession to make money, rather than finding a profession that we have a passion for? 


3) Do we have vision? 

I wonder these things because we're a beautiful country. We're a country where people of modest means can work hard and become successful.

Bill Clinton. Oprah Winfrey. Arnold Schwarzenegger...

But are we going to keep our place as an innovative society? Are we becoming complacent?

Its obvious that we're scared to compete.

Crude Examples
-In little league sports everyone gets a trophy these days, even if you come in last place.
-A person that does poor work often gets paid the same amount as a person that does excellent work.
- No child should left behind...What if that child chooses not to put in the effort to do their school work?


Accountability...Are We Scared to Compete?

These are questions I'm just asking out loud.. What do I know..