IN COMPETITION WITH YOURSELF

Growing up I was deprived of competition. My family would rather call a game a draw half way through it than see things out and find out who the winner is; I always found it incredibly frustrating. So I decided at quite a young age to always find competition with myself. I played far more games designed for two or more players alone than actually with my family, and I would create the players myself simply using Player 1, Player 2 etc. They wouldn’t have personalities; they would just simply be versions of me competing against each other. I would play all sorts of games this way, be it board games, skill games, non-skill games, even things like playing football in the garden and competitions over number of kick-ups or shooting penalties against the wall and when it rebounded another player having to save it. I took it pretty serious; I would create league tables and host mini tournaments etc. It got to the stage where if Player 1 had won for three days straight I would wake up thinking Player 2 needs to step his game up today! Although it must sound lonely, they were actually great times looking back, I absolutely loved it! I had lots of great friends too but no one wanted to concentrate and play for as long as me whereas Player 1 and Player 2 etc. wanted to compete until they were completely warn out. I remember finding it so satisfying.

As I got older I would incorporate that way of thinking into gym sessions and things like that but I guess much less and to be honest it has faded away where I have lost it somewhat nowadays. I’d like to bring it back in a healthy way.

The concept of a Parallel Universe interests me; it exists simply because we have choice. Our decisions can take us on different paths to different places, both physically and mentally, with altogether different results in life and happiness. The trick is to do your best to choose your highest happiness.

So consider a Parallel Universe where there is another you living life the same as you except from now on it is a competition of who can live it better. Who can achieve the most success and achieve the highest happiness.

What strategies will you have for your life and what decisions will you make now? There is another you over there who wants this and is making great decisions. Which one of you will take this down? Step up and compete.

Always do your best, every day.