Why men must always compete - Part one
Men today are faced with unique obstacles that their fathers and grandfathers did not have to contend with. Their obstacles were best described as grueling while the obstacles faced by the modern men are perhaps best described as complex. These spiritual, societal, vocational, and relational obstacles will often challenge a man to be his best and even then he will have to take it a step further and become better than his best. This pursuit and achievement of excellence is what determines whether you are *the* Guy or just another guy – a JAG as I call it. The Guy understands that playing just to play is not enough. He wants to play to win and if he doesn’t win, he corrects course and comes back stronger so that victory becomes an inevitability. A JAG is just happy to be in the game. He might talk about wanting to win, but he’s perfectly ok with taking a back seat and letting others lead him to victory. The Guy strives to be better today than he was yesterday and knows that in order to win in life, you need to compete everyday.
So many men today fear competition. They risk so little and put forth even less effort to become their best selves. These same men – these JAGS – also expect to be handed the keys to success without having to grind for it. They don’t understand that the grind is what builds resilience and grit. Meanwhile, men of value understand little is given and much is earned. They compete every single day to be better than the man they were yesterday. They pound out reps at the gym so that they can build strength. They run long and hard on the track so that they can test their endurance. They push their reflexes to the limit and master braking techniques so they can shave milliseconds off their lap times on the racetrack. They stay up late reading books and articles so they can improve their skillset. They surround themselves with more knowledgeable people so they can absorb information like a sponge. They do all this because in their world, being just another guy is unacceptable. They must compete hard against their past self so that they can become the prime version of themselves. They compete so they can be The Guy and not just another guy.
-Bryan Do