Competitiveness – Forge

Invite The Challenge

Our Manifesto says…

‘Second place doesn’t cut it, but hold it right there. No backhanded, snaky behavior is allowed in the 3rdNut Tribe. You win the real way–SHEER GRIT, TENACITY, AND BLEEDING just that much more than anyone in the room.‘

Anyone going after a goal is in a competition. Sometimes you’re competing with others. Yet ultimately, no matter who else is in the game, you’re always going to come up against the ultimate rival: yourself. It’s fundamental. To get better, you have to best yourself. That’s why it’s critical to build up a competitive spirit.

“Every quarterback can throw a ball; every running back can run; every receiver is fast; but that mental toughness that you talk about translates into competitiveness.” – Tom Brady

GET AN EDGE UP.

If you want to achieve more, then you have to figure out ways to do things differently than you’ve done before. Be on the lookout for opportunities to learn, grow, or gain new experiences. We’re not talking casually glancing at the community board you happen to pass at the coffee shop. Be aggressive in your quest to improve. Proactively seek out lessons on your days off, volunteer to take on new responsibilities at work that expand your skillset, go out of your way to try a new approach to a routine task at home. By constantly being in a state of learning, you’ll be prepared when the opportunity you’ve been waiting for comes along.

FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION.

Not sure what you should be learning? Take a look at your goal (and if it’s not written down, do that now before doing anything else). Why haven’t you already reached it? The answer should give you an idea of the gap that lies between where you are now and where you want to be. Don’t get discouraged if the climb looks as rugged and tall as Mt. Everest. One step at a time, one foot higher at a time, you’ll get there.

PLAY FAIR.

The 3rdNut tribe is about empowering people to achieve great things. We want this whether someone is badass enough to be a tribe member or not (it’s not our fault some people choose not to pursue their own greatness). That means that we’re never about holding others back. This can get challenging when you get to the outer fringes of competitiveness, where winning takes on an “at all costs” tinge. This is where integrity comes into play, big time. For a 3rdNutter, how you win is every bit as important as having the trophy in hand.

ACTIONS TO TAKE THIS WEEK.

• On the far right of a piece of paper (or whatever digital equivalent you favor), write down where you want to go.  on the far left, write down where you are today. in between, fill in what you need to get better at. Now you have a roadmap.
• Pick one item to start improving today (even if that just means googling “How do I get better at x), And put a plan in place to get better at it.