why men must always compete - part Two
The idea of competition seems adversarial to most people. And why not? We’re accustomed to watching athletes competing against one another for sports supremacy. Nations compete with each other for economic standing. In the animal kingdom, the males of the species compete for dominance. Some of you reading this might work in seemingly cutthroat industries where you compete with others in what can be a zero-sum game. But true competition for the modern man exists independent of any adversary, sport, or vocation. It lies within - where a man’s only real competition is himself. Specifically, his former self.
No opponent you face nor any competitor you’re matched up with can ever equal your toughest opponent: yourself. Your competition doesn’t know your biggest weaknesses or your darkest fears. Your past self contains all of your insecurities, weaknesses, and self-doubt. And if you listen to this past self it can convince you that you cannot achieve your goals and that you are better off just being comfortable or content – devoid of victory but free from failure. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Your past self also contains all of your growth, your victories, and your collection of life lessons. Modern men need to listen to that past self because it’s laying the blueprint for you to become your prime self.
Your only true opponent is this confidence-depleting past self that whispers in your ear that things are too tough, everyone is against you, and that you’re just not good enough. At times, it might appear that the world is against you. But in these moments, it is ok to seek help and support. Whether it is with your tribe of men, your significant other, or seeking men’s therapy. In my therapy room I help you to see how the obstacles in your life are tools simply to help you reach your prime self. When something seems insurmountable is when the modern man should be most grateful. Once he overcomes that Herculean obstacle, he’ll come out the other end a man that truly personifies grit and resilience as opposed to the JAG that never faces true challenges and as a result neither knows success nor failure.
- Bryan Do