Tiarnan O'Kane

By Tiarnan O’Kane

In the relentless world of sales and entrepreneurship, competition is often seen as the driving force behind success. The idea of outpacing your rivals, securing more deals, and achieving greater market share is deeply ingrained in the psyche of many business professionals. Yet, while external competition can indeed spur action, it also carries significant pitfalls—traps that can lead to frustration, disillusionment, and even failure. In contrast, there is a more profound and sustainable approach to success, one that transcends the superficial metrics of external competition: the practice of competing with yourself.

The Dangers of External Comparison

In sales and entrepreneurship, the temptation to measure your success against others is ever-present. The achievements of your peers, colleagues, or competitors are often highlighted in stark relief—monthly sales figures, market share percentages, and even social media accolades serve as constant reminders of where you stand relative to others. It is all too easy to become fixated on these comparisons, allowing them to dictate your sense of self-worth and professional progress.

However, this approach is fraught with dangers. First and foremost, it breeds a mindset of scarcity and insecurity. When you view success as a finite resource, something that others are taking away from you, it fosters a mentality of fear rather than growth. This fear can lead to unethical behaviour, cutthroat tactics, and a short-term focus that sacrifices long-term success for immediate gains. Moreover, comparing yourself to others often results in feelings of inadequacy and envy, which can erode your confidence and motivation.

What is often overlooked in this relentless comparison is the fact that you are not privy to the full story behind others’ successes. Each individual’s journey is shaped by a unique combination of circumstances, opportunities, and challenges. By measuring yourself against others, you ignore these complexities and set yourself up for a false comparison that only serves to distort your perception of your own progress.

The Power of Competing with Yourself

In stark contrast to the pitfalls of external comparison, competing with your past self offers a far more productive and fulfilling path to success. This approach shifts the focus from what others are doing to what you are doing, and, more importantly, how you are improving over time. The key question is not whether you are outperforming others, but whether you are outperforming your previous self.

Competing with yourself fosters a mindset of continuous growth and development. It encourages you to set personal benchmarks based on your own progress rather than on arbitrary comparisons with others. This internal competition is inherently more sustainable, as it is grounded in your own capabilities and goals, rather than in the fluctuating fortunes of your competitors.

Growth Through Self-Reflection

One of the most significant benefits of competing with yourself is that it cultivates a habit of self-reflection. In sales and entrepreneurship, it is crucial to regularly assess your performance, not in comparison to others, but in relation to your own goals and potential. This reflective practice enables you to identify areas where you have improved and areas where further growth is needed.

For instance, rather than fixating on the fact that a colleague has closed more deals this quarter, consider how your own sales techniques have evolved. Are you better at handling objections than you were last year? Have you improved your ability to build rapport with clients? These are the metrics that truly matter, as they reflect your personal growth and your journey towards mastery in your field.

Self-reflection also allows you to take a longer-term view of success. In the fast-paced world of sales, it is easy to become consumed by short-term goals and immediate results. However, by focusing on your personal development, you are more likely to cultivate the skills and resilience needed for long-term success. This approach aligns with the principles of entrepreneurship, where adaptability and continuous learning are essential for navigating the inevitable ups and downs of business life.

Building Resilience and Motivation

Another advantage of competing with yourself is that it builds resilience. When your success is measured against your own progress, you are less likely to be derailed by setbacks or the success of others. Instead, you learn to view challenges as opportunities for growth, reinforcing your commitment to personal development. This resilience is particularly valuable in entrepreneurship, where the path to success is rarely linear and often involves overcoming significant obstacles.

Moreover, competing with yourself can be a powerful motivator. When you focus on your own progress, you are more likely to set meaningful and achievable goals that align with your values and aspirations. This intrinsic motivation is far more enduring than the extrinsic rewards of external competition, as it is rooted in your own desire to improve and succeed.

A Blueprint for Long-Term Success

In conclusion, while external competition has its place in sales and entrepreneurship, it is the practice of competing with yourself that offers a more sustainable and fulfilling path to success. By focusing on your own growth and development, you not only avoid the pitfalls of comparison but also cultivate the resilience, motivation, and self-reflection needed for long-term success.

The next time you find yourself measuring your success against others, take a step back and ask yourself: “Am I better today than I was yesterday?” This simple question can redirect your focus towards what truly matters—your own journey of continuous improvement. In the end, it is not about being better than others; it is about being better than you were before. And that, I contend, is the key to achieving lasting success in sales, entrepreneurship, and life itself.

By embracing this mindset, you will find that your career in sales and entrepreneurship is not just a quest for external validation, but a personal journey of growth, resilience, and fulfilment. Compete with yourself, and you will discover that the only true competitor is the person you were yesterday.