Discussions about the act of competing can be hard because it all sounds so cliche: Play hard, just go out there and compete, leave it all on the field, give it 110%, winning is a habit. And this is also a topic that I don’t overtly address often.

My clients in the higher levels of their fields already have a competitive fire and I don’t need to flame it.

My clients aspiring to those upper echelons tend to be more focused on the problems blocking them from that next level of success. But in a similar fashion to improving your C-game and reaching for the next level of skill, sometimes a little emphasis on the act of competing can help raise your focus and intensity and draw out more of your best. 

On a day-to-day basis, whether you’re trading, playing poker, playing golf, or any other field you choose, competing means doing everything in your control to win or put yourself in the best position to win. Giving maximum effort, not being derailed by setbacks, and being totally focused, prepared, and clear minded.

You win when instead of half-assing your warm-up like you want to, you find the drive to do it right. You win when you fight back the urge to close a position prematurely. You win when you trust your intuition/gut when it’s hard.

A competitive spirit brings energy, effort, passion, and a love for what you’re doing. It’s a never give up attitude. It’s taking care of the little things that often get missed when you are stuck in your own head or your energy is a little low. 

When you’re losing or struggling, it can be easy to try to do too much to quickly start winning again – like hitting a more aggressive shot in golf, increasing your position size in trading, or bombing the river in poker. These are gambles – you’re not competing, you’re hoping taking a bigger risk will bail you out. There’s no room for hope in competition. 

Sometimes your biggest competition is with yourself. It’s not the golf course, the market, or other poker players. Winning those internal battles is how you position yourself to win. 

Competing with yourself means fighting or redirecting impulses like, for example, continuing to be aggressive by aggressively doing what you know works and doubling down on your process and strategy. Doing so strengthens your process and builds reliable confidence. Give up on it in those critical moments, and even if your big risk pays off, you’ll lose confidence. You wouldn’t trust a friend who bails on you in moments you need them most – why would you trust yourself after doing the same thing?

Alternatively, focusing on competing can also be a way to get out of your head and escape those internal battles by diving deeper into the action. Compete with the golf course by getting even more focused on the subtleties of the wind, course set up, or green reading. Compete with the market by digging deeper into your indicators, sensing what’s happening in the market rather than bringing a biased viewpoint. Compete in poker by looking for patterns in your opponents’ play, even the weaker regs or fish who you already have a big edge on – there’s always some information you can find that you can exploit.

The will to compete is a concept that can sustain you when you need to take those extra steps or create endurance for an event/round/day. For the poker players out there, this idea is particularly timely with the start of WCOOP and the World Series of Poker.

 

In the Battle

Even if your will to compete is strong, it’s also important to be aware of what it actually looks like when you’re in the trenches “battling.” 

Recognizing your own performance level is vital. Are you in your A-game? B-game? C-game?  Identify where you are that day and make adjustments against yourself. There are times when everything clicks in place and you’re naturally playing or trading great. Things are going in your favor, you’re getting good bounces, trades running to their target, or favorable run-outs. When that happens competing can seem pretty easy. Stay sharp and enjoy the ride! 

But don’t expect that’s how it is always going to be.

On those other days, when it’s a bit tougher, your goals don’t need to change. You still want to win the tournament, score well, and make money. But those outcomes are not entirely in your control. Here are some ideas to ensure you’re competing hard and controlling what you can control as best as possible: 

Stick to Your Routine – This includes your daily overall routine, a pre-session warm-up, and a post-session cool down. It also includes your in-session routine, like taking real breaks so you stay fresh and clear minded.Injecting Logic – Use injecting logic statements and strategic reminders to help ensure you retain emotional stability and quality decision making. Protect Energy and Clarity of Mind – These are the two main factors that influence your ability to get into the zone. Be aware of them and learn how to cultivate them.

Don’t try to apply all these ideas at once, particularly if you are gearing up for the WSOP. Instead, select one that can have an immediate impact, or can make a difference with just a little bit of effort. 

Imagine all of them being automatically present when you compete. If that feels like a very large gap, you’re still in the early stages of learning and development and should be prepared to stick with it for 3-6 months.

Remember, mastery is the ultimate aim with any skill you’re developing and that includes becoming a tougher competitor.

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The post Competing to Win – And What the Battle Often Looks Like appeared first on Jared Tendler.