A competitors biggest struggle in 2017

As a lot of you know who follow me know that I compete in Figure and also do competition prep coaching. I wanted to talk about Competitors Biggest Struggles today because I was having a conversation with one of my clients. She is a first time competitor and was telling me about the things she has been doing leading up to her competition. And I gave her a lot of advice however, it was a double edged sword. Because I too was guilty of all the things she was telling me about. And as much as I know better and try to teach better I too still fall into the trap of these struggles.

Comparing myself to other competitors on social media

Firstly INSTAGRAM and other forms of social media are not real life. So many girls I know with huge followings look so muscular, lean, and show ready in the photos they post. However thats not the case in real life. On social media they can  curate their posts, manipulate angles, lighting and posing. So when you see them in real life you realize that you spent hours worrying about them and stressing yourself out (which raises cortisol) for nothing. And in the end they actually aren't your competition. Why? Because in this giant world of fitness competition you should only be competing against yourself. Mentally, physically and emotionally the battles during competition prep should only be with yourself. To beat your previous best, to become the best version of yourself and to overcome your obstacles on your journey.

You can't get those hours back worrying about others. In those hours you should have been focusing on yourself, your mind state, your training, your diet and what you can do it better yourself. How you can be the best version of you.

Curiosity killed the cat. Although I know I shouldn't be doing this myself as a competitor and a coach that tries to tell my athletes not to do it. I look, I creep, I compare. I worry. And unfortunately I don't know anyone who actually doesn't look. Im sure some will say that they don't. But I can almost guarantee you that they do. We all look. Especially women.

Is it the society we have grown up in, to compare ourselves, to be jealous, to want what others have? Or is it that we are all just nosey and social media has taught us to be creeps? I don't think that social media is going to change any time soon. Its quick, its entertaining, its stimulating. I unfortunately can't stay off of social media during prep like some competitors do because It is one of my avenues for advertising my business, content creating and influencer marketing.

I simply have to have a stronger mindset. No one is going to influence me. I am my own competition. No one will work harder than me. And I do not care what anyone else is doing.

Mantra = Mindset

And I know you can do it too. So good luck to all of you competitors for this 2017 season! Don't fall into the social media trap of comparisons. You vs You instead. Enjoy social media for what it is worth but stop worrying and comparing yourself to others!