December 11, 2008 95 Comments

You’re Racing- I’m Improving

Here’s the thing: sometimes people ask me about competition. They ask me who I’m watching out for, or who I’m worried about, or who I’m competing with. There are a few answers to this question, to be honest, but it might not make sense to you, if you think like most people. You see, I’m not competing with any of you. I’m working on improving.

I learned this by completing a marathon in 2004. I’m not fast. I’m not amazing. I just did it. I ran 26.2 miles and completed it. Did I do that by competing? No. I did it by getting out and running.

I’ll admit it. There are blogs that I track my stats against. I do it to see if I’m improving. I do it to see if they are pulling away from me or if I’m having a better month. We all do it. There’s someone out there that we look at to judge ourselves, even a little bit. But that’s not where I compete.

I compete with myself. Did I or didn’t I land the business partnership? Did I or didn’t I do the boring parts of my job that still have to be done? Did I pay enough attention to my kids? Did I eat my vegetables and skip dessert?

Blog numbers aren’t a competition. Number of twitter followers has nothing to do with competition. Who you have for a customer isn’t how I compete.

And you know what? That’s been how I’ve gotten as far along as I have. I learn from everyone. I learn from people with 10 regular blog readers. I learn from Robert Scoble and all the other names you’d expect. I learn from books with dusty jackets that people have forgotten. I learn from Madonna and Oprah and Jenna Jameson.

You keep on racing.

Photo credit, Larry & Flo

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http://blog.crowdspring.com Ross Kimbarovsky

Chris,

Excellent post. At the end of the day, people genuinely respect genuine people. And while it’s sometimes easy to fool someone once or twice, it’s difficult to do fool another person over an extended period of time when your conversations are public and easily accessible. You talk with people, not to them, and that’s pretty rare – even among so many conversations happening on the Internet.

Best,

Ross Kimbarovsky
co-Founder
crowdSPRING
http://blog.crowdspring.com Ross Kimbarovsky

Chris,

Excellent post. At the end of the day, people genuinely respect genuine people. And while it’s sometimes easy to fool someone once or twice, it’s difficult to do fool another person over an extended period of time when your conversations are public and easily accessible. You talk with people, not to them, and that’s pretty rare – even among so many conversations happening on the Internet.

Best,

Ross Kimbarovsky
co-Founder
crowdSPRING
http://emilwisch.com Emil Wisch

Nicely put. I’ve opened myself up to more “competitors” as of late who I consider mentors. This post lines up well with a thought of mine (I won’t call it a quote; it’s probably been uttered many times before): I learn from and am motivated by people I listen to every day who broaden my perspective on so many different topics.
http://emilwisch.com Emil Wisch

Nicely put. I’ve opened myself up to more “competitors” as of late who I consider mentors. This post lines up well with a thought of mine (I won’t call it a quote; it’s probably been uttered many times before): I learn from and am motivated by people I listen to every day who broaden my perspective on so many different topics.
http://emilwisch.com Emil Wisch

@emilwisch
http://emilwisch.com Emil Wisch

@emilwisch
http://www.alanlepofsky.net Alan Lepofsky

I spent 14 years at IBM/Lotus “battling against” Microsoft. I left this summer to join the “2.0″ world, with the hope that there would be less bickering, and more getting along with each other in order to compete against “the big guys”. Instead I find the “2.0″ world even more catty at times. I guess everyone in this spaces needs to struggle more to survive. I find that Twitter is often a source of cheap shots at each other. I wish more people took the high road. The other day I was so annoyed at some of the other vendors in our space that I tweeted “Imagine if a vendor actually retweeted something positive about another vendor, instead of jumping on any negative thing they can.” The responses were quite interesting.
http://www.alanlepofsky.net Alan Lepofsky

I spent 14 years at IBM/Lotus “battling against” Microsoft. I left this summer to join the “2.0″ world, with the hope that there would be less bickering, and more getting along with each other in order to compete against “the big guys”. Instead I find the “2.0″ world even more catty at times. I guess everyone in this spaces needs to struggle more to survive. I find that Twitter is often a source of cheap shots at each other. I wish more people took the high road. The other day I was so annoyed at some of the other vendors in our space that I tweeted “Imagine if a vendor actually retweeted something positive about another vendor, instead of jumping on any negative thing they can.” The responses were quite interesting.
http://joshuadenney.com Joshua

I have also learned quite a bit from Jenna Jameson. Great business mentor, really gets into her work!
http://joshuadenney.com Joshua

I have also learned quite a bit from Jenna Jameson. Great business mentor, really gets into her work!
http://emilwisch.com Emil Wisch

@Joshua Aye, I would leave it entirely up to you to hit that Jenna Jameson lob :D
http://emilwisch.com Emil Wisch

@Joshua Aye, I would leave it entirely up to you to hit that Jenna Jameson lob :D
http://leaningtowardwisdom.com Leonard Klaatu

Do racing and improving have to be mutually exclusive?
http://leaningtowardwisdom.com Leonard Klaatu

Do racing and improving have to be mutually exclusive?
http://www.communityspark.com/ Martin Reed

I agree. I recently wrote a blog post about why you shouldn’t be jealous of the competition, but also explain why online communities are inherently difficult to compare against one another anyway: http://tinyurl.com/6mb93s

Oh, and I too threw myself around a marathon course: London, 2007. I feel your pain (but also the sense of achievement).

- Martin
http://www.communityspark.com/ Martin Reed

I agree. I recently wrote a blog post about why you shouldn’t be jealous of the competition, but also explain why online communities are inherently difficult to compare against one another anyway: http://tinyurl.com/6mb93s

Oh, and I too threw myself around a marathon course: London, 2007. I feel your pain (but also the sense of achievement).

- Martin
http://www.communityspark.com/ Martin Reed

Actually, I lie. I done the marathon in 2006. I wonder if running has a detrimental effect on memory?!? It blocks out the pain and the date!!

- Martin
http://www.communityspark.com/ Martin Reed

Actually, I lie. I done the marathon in 2006. I wonder if running has a detrimental effect on memory?!? It blocks out the pain and the date!!

- Martin
http://www.triscuit13.blogspot.com Trista

I just want to thank you for your insightful words. It is so easy to lose sight of the big picture and reading your blog often helps me to focus on the things that matter. Yes, we all compare ourselves to others, but self improvement will make for a more lasting happiness. I am inspired by your words…
Thank you.
http://www.triscuit13.blogspot.com Trista

I just want to thank you for your insightful words. It is so easy to lose sight of the big picture and reading your blog often helps me to focus on the things that matter. Yes, we all compare ourselves to others, but self improvement will make for a more lasting happiness. I am inspired by your words…
Thank you.
http://www.motivationtomove.com Scott Smith

Your words could not be more true.

I am very competitive – with myself. Yes… I love to compare and keep track of those folks who’s goal it is to keep me on my toes. But… in the end… it’s all about being the best I can be. Thanks for your insight Chris.
http://www.motivationtomove.com Scott Smith

Your words could not be more true.

I am very competitive – with myself. Yes… I love to compare and keep track of those folks who’s goal it is to keep me on my toes. But… in the end… it’s all about being the best I can be. Thanks for your insight Chris.
http://blog.marialavis.com/ Maria Lavis

I totally hear you on this one Chris!

Sometimes I wonder if some people got a “competition” gene that I just didn’t get, because I think very much like you, and it can be hard to communicate how I see it soemetime to people who are the competitive type. So well said! And because you’ve pushed a button in me on this one, and my answer was getting so long, I’ve moved it to my blog post From Competition to Improvement to a Day at the Beach.
http://blog.marialavis.com/ Maria Lavis

I totally hear you on this one Chris!

Sometimes I wonder if some people got a “competition” gene that I just didn’t get, because I think very much like you, and it can be hard to communicate how I see it soemetime to people who are the competitive type. So well said! And because you’ve pushed a button in me on this one, and my answer was getting so long, I’ve moved it to my blog post From Competition to Improvement to a Day at the Beach.
http://milostopic.com Milos

Chris,

focusing on self-improvement with an occasional glance as to what the competition is doing makes perfect sense. If you focus on the competitors too much all you end up doing is following in their footsteps. Keep doing what you have been doing for a while now, be Chris Brogan. Keep on saying it like it is and needs to be in order to move forward and accomplish your goals.
http://milostopic.com Milos

Chris,

focusing on self-improvement with an occasional glance as to what the competition is doing makes perfect sense. If you focus on the competitors too much all you end up doing is following in their footsteps. Keep doing what you have been doing for a while now, be Chris Brogan. Keep on saying it like it is and needs to be in order to move forward and accomplish your goals.
http://www.jarovic.com Jessica

Nice post. Similar to the saying, “I am my own worse enemy” I think that we can be our own worse competition, and that competition (with ourselves) can bring out the most improvement.
http://www.jarovic.com Jessica

Nice post. Similar to the saying, “I am my own worse enemy” I think that we can be our own worse competition, and that competition (with ourselves) can bring out the most improvement.
http://mrjavo.com/how-to-boost-your-blog-by-holding-a-contest/ Mr Javo

Awesome post Chris. Like you, I don’t compete with anyone. I work the hardest to improve my own statistics, incomes and profits of what I do in my life…
http://mrjavo.com/how-to-boost-your-blog-by-holding-a-contest/ Mr Javo

Awesome post Chris. Like you, I don’t compete with anyone. I work the hardest to improve my own statistics, incomes and profits of what I do in my life…
http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

Dare I ask exactly *what* you learned from Jenna Jameson? ;-)

I’m with you on this one for sure – competition against others became an outdated model before the competitors even realized it. If you really want to compete, test yourself against what you did today and improve on that by 1% tomorrow.

If we improve ourselves by competing against ourselves, guess what – that has a natural effect on those around us who want to improve as well. Pretty soon, just like the best common cold, that improvement has spread to everyone you know and everyone they know – doesn’t take long to infect a world with greatness at that rate…
http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

Dare I ask exactly *what* you learned from Jenna Jameson? ;-)

I’m with you on this one for sure – competition against others became an outdated model before the competitors even realized it. If you really want to compete, test yourself against what you did today and improve on that by 1% tomorrow.

If we improve ourselves by competing against ourselves, guess what – that has a natural effect on those around us who want to improve as well. Pretty soon, just like the best common cold, that improvement has spread to everyone you know and everyone they know – doesn’t take long to infect a world with greatness at that rate…
Pingback: Four Ways to Take Advantage of Your Competition’s Success
http://www.silverbee.com Silver Bee

I work with silver to make jewellery and I teach as well. The teaching allows me to make a living. Additionally it gives me the freedom to experiment and learn because I am not worried about selling my jewellery to make a living. I think that a competitive approach would seriously hamper my creativity. I would no longer just learning and growing my skills.

Thank you for your pearls of wisdom Chris. Your blog has been a wonderful resource and an inspiration.
http://www.silverbee.com Silver Bee

I work with silver to make jewellery and I teach as well. The teaching allows me to make a living. Additionally it gives me the freedom to experiment and learn because I am not worried about selling my jewellery to make a living. I think that a competitive approach would seriously hamper my creativity. I would no longer just learning and growing my skills.

Thank you for your pearls of wisdom Chris. Your blog has been a wonderful resource and an inspiration.
James Jones

I will not reason and compare: my business is to create.
- William Blake
James Jones

I will not reason and compare: my business is to create.
- William Blake
http://www.momcentral.com Kara

really loved this post and couldn’t agree more. Although I tend to be slightly competitive by nature (I swear it is in my gene pool), I find that in this business working together is far stronger than working against each other.
http://www.momcentral.com Kara

really loved this post and couldn’t agree more. Although I tend to be slightly competitive by nature (I swear it is in my gene pool), I find that in this business working together is far stronger than working against each other.
Anonymous

When people ask me who my competitors are I say “Ignorance” and “Apathy.” In the end, they are my only competitors.
http://gerardmclean.com Gerard McLean

When people ask me who my competitors are I say “Ignorance” and “Apathy.” In the end, they are my only competitors.
http://twitter.com/franswaa frank

Such an interesting thing … almost a catch 22 of sorts.

Life is all about learning, growing, being challenged … we should be learning every day in one way or another.

A lot of times it seems like we are learning due to something that has caught our attention. As we get older we get more career oriented so our learning happens with respect to our careers. Sometimes out learning is directly tied to our career. (not that this always happens, but i see it as something fairly common).

You tie your learning to your career … and competition starts coming into play. As you said Chris … it’s like part of our DNA to compete and compare our selves to others – we can’t help it :)

I guess the point to remember is “never stop learning”

–
http://twitter.com/franswaa
http://twitter.com/franswaa frank

Such an interesting thing … almost a catch 22 of sorts.

Life is all about learning, growing, being challenged … we should be learning every day in one way or another.

A lot of times it seems like we are learning due to something that has caught our attention. As we get older we get more career oriented so our learning happens with respect to our careers. Sometimes out learning is directly tied to our career. (not that this always happens, but i see it as something fairly common).

You tie your learning to your career … and competition starts coming into play. As you said Chris … it’s like part of our DNA to compete and compare our selves to others – we can’t help it :)

I guess the point to remember is “never stop learning”

–
http://twitter.com/franswaa
Pingback: So far, so good. | Internet Bard
http://www.yuregininsesi.com sesli chat

I just want to thank you for your insightful words. It is so easy to lose sight of the big picture and reading your blog often helps me to focus on the things that matter. Yes, we all compare ourselves to others, but self improvement will make for a more lasting happiness. I am inspired by your words…
Thank you.

You’re Racing- I’m Improving

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