I’ve spend several years in competition based sports – running, triathlon, CrossFit etc.
The main driver in these sports is self-improvement, or, improvement over others. I was “winning” my category in a number of races, but then the target kept shifting.
Each position is never enough. Eventually, I had to throw out this approach all together as I burned out completely from fatigue.
We are all conditioned with a level of competitiveness, from the time we entered school (if not before), which may or may not be serving us in different areas of our life
However, with our physical practice, it is important to keep this in check.
If we are “exercising” from a place of fear, it is entirely possible that the results we get will be capped, as we subconsciously perceive the environment we are in completely differently.
If the context of our exercise is that we “aren’t good enough,” or that we have to get better that we used to be, or better than someone else, to “prevent” the natural ageing process, or to impress someone else, then our environment will be perceived differently, and we carry a “tension” with us.
If we are moving because we truly enjoy it*, or we cherish the time training and connecting with our friends, then the context is inviting, friendly, or abundant.
Our minds then and our physiology can relax into the session.
Understanding the drivers behind why we do what we do can be powerful.
*attachment to improvement, or attachment to an acute stress response is not the same as true enjoyment
