Competitive Mindset

Texas heat in May. Spring ball. Games months away. I showed up to practice, went through the drills, logged the reps. But my intensity was gone. I wasn't trying to get better—I was trying to get through it. Practice-to-practice instead of practice-to-perform. I was there, but I wasn't competing. Your relationships work the same way.

I lost 5 speaking gigs because I waited 5 years for permission to write. John Krasinski almost stayed 'Jim from The Office' forever. We're all waiting for someone to tell us we're ready. Here's the truth: no one is coming. Permission starts with action, not approval. What are you waiting for?

What if you stopped waiting for help - and just proved you could win without it?

I was 35,000 feet above Denver when I realized I was being an idiot. I'd spent an hour beating myself up for not having something I didn't even want. Most leaders burn out not because they work too hard, but because they're working toward someone else's definition of success. Competition begins with clarity: What game are you actually playing? Here's how to stop competing in arenas you never chose and start winning games that actually matter to you.

What if your biggest sales competitor isn't the company across town stealing your deals? 73% of sales teams discover the hard way: your biggest competition isn't external. It's the invisible enemy that shows up the moment you start winning. The real competitor hiding in plain sight isn't your rival - it's complacency. The subtle voice that whispers "you've arrived" when your numbers look good.

Want to make your competitive mindset a career advantage?  Then stop doing what everyone else does. Former UNC coach Roy Williams once...