Is being competitive counter productive?

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gdc2506
gdc2506 Posts: 46 Member
in Getting Started
I'm competitive... There is no way around the fact.

A very short list of examples...

- if, I'm taking a "casual" walk somewhere and somebody is in front of me, I have to get in front of them.
- I hate losing. (I've learned to accept this more lately but it could still consume me if I let it).

So here is why I'm asking. If I go for a 2 mile walk and I complete that walk in 26 minutes, the next time I do that walk, I'm conscious of that previous time and work to improve that time.

When I climb the stairs to my office I know the time that it took me previously and as before try to beat that time.

When does this become a problem instead of a motivation? What roadblocks do I need to begin looking for?

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    When it starts causing you issues...

    For example if you see someone here losing weight faster are you going to lower your calories so you win ?
    If you are lifting are you going to add weight to lift heavier than someone else and possibly injure yourself?

    There is nothing wrong with improving yourself and competeing with yourself as long as it's reasonable...
  • bomftdrum
    bomftdrum Posts: 270 Member
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    Nothing wrong with competing against yourself. I am the same way. If I target a goal, I have to exceed it. If I play a game, I have to win. I hate losing. I have always been, if you aren't trying to win then why play. It is always better to fail trying your best than just going half *kitten*.
  • emmanap91
    emmanap91 Posts: 300 Member
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    Nothing wrong with competing against yourself.

    This is perfect. Trying to beat your own times/goals is a great way to stay motivated.

    However, it can potentially become unhealthy when you compete with others. I know I have this problem - if I see a girl at the gym who is thinner than me, I get angry at myself and it basically ruins any exercise high I might have otherwise gotten. When you stay focused on yourself, it's motivation. When you start focusing on others, it can become very discouraging/frustrating and can lead to very unhealthy thoughts and behaviors.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    Competing against yourself is great (beating you own time up the stairs).

    Competing against other people who aren't competing with you is childish (speeding up to pass someone just to be in front).

    RunKeeper and other exercise apps have trackers that measure you against your past times. For example, it knows how long I have ever taken to walk 0-1, 1-2, and 3-4 miles. At the end of each walk it tells me that it was my 8th fastest walk of all time (for that distance). Maybe if you have a way of directly competing with yourself, you won't feel the need to try to compete with strangers. Ultimately, passing someone at the park is meaningless because they don't know that you're racing. That's no victory.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    Only if you get angry and quit/hurt yourself by trying to hard if you're losing.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    When it starts causing you issues...

    For example if you see someone here losing weight faster are you going to lower your calories so you win ?
    If you are lifting are you going to add weight to lift heavier than someone else and possibly injure yourself?

    There is nothing wrong with improving yourself and competeing with yourself as long as it's reasonable...

    This.

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