The final pillar that Defy was built on, is Competition. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve shared the background on Defy’s three pillars; Coaching, Community and now finally Competition.
If that word scares you – I want you to stop reading and go and listen to this podcast on Practicing, Training & Competition.
To be clear, Defy is not a competitive gym. No one cares how much you lift, how fast you go or how you are compared to anyone else. As long as you’re putting in the required effort to reach your goals then we are happy!
So why is Competition one of our founding pillars?
I have competed in some form of sport for my entire life. I have seen the power of being in a competitive environment myself and how it has impacted others over the years.
Being in a competition setting is powerful. The way you feel going into a competition is very different to how you feel on a regular day. If you’ve ever lined up on the start line of a running race, you’ll know that it feels very different than just leaving your front door on a day where you’re doing a training run.
Unless you’re a professional athlete, the competition will likely have no effect on your life. Yet, it feels different. It matters a little bit more. The adrenaline runs through your body a little faster.
I can guarantee you’ll get a little more out of your body during a competition than you do during a training session. You somehow can push a little more. It doesn’t really matter or mean anything yet in that moment it matters and means a lot.
It’s natural that at the start you’ll feel nervous, maybe even a little scared – this is exactly why I think people should compete in something physical. You’re going to learn how to control those nerves, you’re going to need to push through some physical pain and you’ll need to control your inner voice
I really believe that the lessons learned during a physical competition will have a positive impact on other areas of your life. How you deal with stressful situations and how you navigate unexpected problems.
Throughout the year we have several opportunities that members of Defy can put themselves in a competitive situation. We host a variety of in-house competitions and also participate in external events too. We encourage all our members to pick something each year. This gives a little extra focus when it comes to preparation as well as all the benefits from the competition itself.
Most people have never been in a competition since they were at school. Our very existence as humans has stemmed from being in competition, with the environment, with predators or with each other.
We may have lost the need to compete in the same ways as we did many years ago, but it’s still deep inside us to see what we are capable of.
Sign up for something, get uncomfortable and come out better on the other side.