by Heather C.
As many of you already know, we have been running a contest, of sorts, to encourage attendance at the gym over the summer. Well, I guess it is more of an incentive program really. There are no "winners" or "losers," only attendance benchmarks or goals for clients to strive for. For each visit, they get a star and for each star benchmark, there is a prize associated with it.
Anyway, what has been super interesting is to see a crazy case of comparisons going on since we started. Comparing yourself to others is something that I have seen everywhere. It's something that I struggle with too, but this star program really brought it to light all around me. Everyone is comparing their stars to whomever else is around, and not in a proud way, but a self-demeaning kind of way. "I only have 4 stars. Look at you, you already have 8. I'll never get that many." I literally had a client call me day two into the program and say he probably shouldn't even do it because there are already so many people so far ahead of him....DAY TWO!
Creating a little healthy competition among people and striving to do better is a good thing, don't get me wrong. It's the downside of making comparisons that can really take an unhealthy turn, especially when it is generated by a program that is completely individualized. It's not about who gets the most, we're not about who gets the most, it's about can we each get some? Can we each commit to giving our very best effort to come to the gym on a regular basis? Can we each commit to giving our very best version of ourselves to families, friends, careers, relationships, etc?
Each one of us is on our own personal journey both in the gym and outside of it. Can you strive to become a little more like someone who you look up to? Of course! Just remember you are you and you will never be that person. Don't compare yourself to others, compare yourself to you; in everything you do. In your career, in your relationship, in your life. The trick is to be honest with yourself. Are you doing your best or could you give a little more? Are you working a little harder than last time? Did you come in and get as many stars as your life would allow you to this week? That's all that matters. If your best isn't someone else's best, that's okay. It's YOUR best. Pat yourself on the back for that. Compete with yourself.