It's so competitive... should I even start?

This is one of the most common questions we ask ourselves before we embark on something new.

For example, 'I want to start my own cafe... but it's so competitive.'

Or, 'I want to make a sporting team... but it's so competitive.'

Or, 'I want to get that senior role... but everyone is applying for it.'

Although there is some semblance of truth to the competitive nature of all those examples, I want to share a piece of wisdom I received when I was 22, from a well-known strength and conditioning coach.

At the time, I was considering a career in strength and conditioning but I had the exact same concern.

'Are there jobs for me? Isn't it really competitive?'

Undoubtedly, he'd heard this question many times before. And as head of strength and conditioning at NSWIS, he was in the position where he DID have a job.

He said:

'I've heard this many many times, and I can understand where it comes from. So I'll just say this...' he paused. 'Someone's gotta do it.'

I didn't fully comprehend this statement until much later on in life.

What does it even mean - someone's gotta do it?

It wasn't until I decided to compete for the best in Australia that I realised what he meant.

It takes a very special person to be number 1 at anything. Whether it is writing, music, sport, or business. Part of their specialty is they have an insatiable thirst to improve at what they do - this is important.

But another part of the intangibles is they are willing to do what others won't. And it is because they do this that they end up in the position that they actually are.

This really dawned on me one day when I was at a friendly dinner, with some other weightlifters.

We were talking about our training regime.

At the time, I was already a national level weightlifter, with a 95kg snatch and 120kg clean and jerk at 62 kilograms bodyweight.

One of the other weightlifters commented 'oh man that's amazing... I'm 20kg heavier than you and my best snatch is only 70kg.'

In an attempt to be humble, I said... 'Oh but I've been doing it longer than you!' (which is true).

He asked 'how many times a week do you train?'

I said: 'anywhere from 8-12x/week'.

'Holy shit,' he said. 'I train 3x/week.'

Naturally the discrepancy in our abilities could be attributed to the amount of time we spent honing our craft.

So I said, 'I'm sure if you trained as much as me, you'd be at my level too.'

To which he replied, 'I don't think I want to train that much though.'

Then it hit me, what the NSWIS S&C had said to me, 2-3 years prior.

'Someone's gotta do it, though.'

What is missing in many people's minds when it comes to 'competitiveness' is the 'willingness' to do the work that others AREN'T.

I willingly trained 8-12x/week.

90% of the weightlifters in the country did not.

Not only did I train more than most weightlifters.

I didn't drink.

I didn't go out.

I measured my food.

I watched my sleep.

I had no social life.

Now, 95-99% of weightlifters were not willing to do those.

So that left me competing against the 1% people.

In the end, I reached the top.

And it was definitely competitive.

But the truth was, if I outlined all the steps and sacrifices I took to get to where I got to, and I laid it out in front of 99% of weightlifters and said...

'If you do this, I guarantee you'll make the best in the country.'

Almost every single one of them would say 'no, I'm not doing that.'

But for me, I see the task at hand and I say,

'Well, someone's gotta do it.'

Whatever you're doing with your life, whether it means being an outstanding parent, athlete, business leader, manager, poet, it doesn't matter.

Remember this - to become the best is hard.

But someone's gotta do it.

And 'doing' it doesn't mean turning up and working a 38 hour week.

'Doing it' means doing all the things that everyone else won't.

'Doing it' means looking into the dark corners that everyone else avoids.

Being the best is hard.

It is challenging.