HOW SELF-COMPETITIVE ARE YOU?

[Epigonos]

All of my adult life I've been anal retentive obsessive compulsive. If you don’t believe me just ask Oliver.

 

I ceased doing weight training many years ago. I was constantly attempting to use heaver and heaver weights and as one ages that is not the best idea.

 

As I mentioned in another thread I'm currently doing a lot of walking. I have four set routes that I take one after the other. After each of these walks I carefully write down how long it took me to complete and try to improve (shorten) my time the next time I take that walk.

 

I am constantly competing with myself in a multitude of ways in my daily life. What I’m wondering is if any of the rest of you suffer from this same silly disease (obsession)?

Edited July 14, 2020 by Epigonos

[+ WilliamM]

No, I am not self competitive, except in reading in reading fiction.

[+ sync]

Only sporadically. I could use a healthy dose of self-competitiveness.

[+ Pensant]

I certainly am. I’ve turned bike rides and runs into competition to beat my last Strava times and earn more personal records.

[+ Ace]

Guilty! I "blame" it on being an Aries & having an anal retentive upbringing as an only child.

[CuriousByNature]

Guilty! I "blame" it on being an Aries & having an anal retentive upbringing as an only child.

Only at the all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant: Can I manage to fit just one more piece of Spicy Tuna Roll in my already-distended gullet? Success! Then guilt.

[Guest]

...I am constantly competing with myself in a multitude of ways in my daily life. What I’m wondering is if any of the rest of you suffer from this same silly disease (obsession)?

When doing something, ask yourself: Am I doing this for a productive reason (improve my health, increase my chances of having sex, personal enjoyment), or for something less productive, such as "competing with yourself"? When it goes beyond that, actions are counter-productive. I put certain behaviors in that camp, for example, someone who climbs Mt. Everest or does a marathon. Doing one of those things is excessive and puts one's health and even, in the case of climbing Mt. Everest, life in jeopardy. I would never consider doing one of those things. The experience would be miserable for me, and the only benefit I can think of his bragging rights, to be able to work into the conversation at parties that you did a marathon or climbed Mt. Everest, and I'm not a person who likes to toot my own horn.

If someone wants to climb Mt. Everest for the bragging rights, that's fine--just be honest with yourself why you're doing it. The answer "because it's there," seems disingenuous and downright silly. If you do exercise, do it because it's good for you, in a manner supported by science, or because you enjoy it. When you become obsessive, such as doing a marathon, the exercise goes from being healthful to putting excessive strain on your joints, tendons, and ligaments. I can only think of a few reasons to do something, off-hand: health, more sex, personal satisfaction, or financial. For some people, they might add bragging rights to that list.

[Epigonos]

Unicorn might not some individuals achieve "personal satisfaction" from besting their best.

[Guest]

Unicorn might not some individuals achieve "personal satisfaction" from besting their best.

Great if they truly enjoy themselves doing it.

[dbar123]

I certainly am. I’ve turned bike rides and runs into competition to beat my last Strava times and earn more personal records.

I do this too.....constantly trying to improve my Strava time on the 12 mile loop that I try to do every day.

[+ Pensant]

I do this too.....constantly trying to improve my Strava time on the 12 mile loop that I try to do every day.

Just did legs and one legged box jumps at the private gym. In an hour going on a 45 mile bike ride!

[+ nycman]

I beat myself (off) constantly.

 

Does that count?

[rvwnsd]

As a Leo I am without flaw and know it. No point in being competitive. No one else would stack up

 

But seriously, no I am not. That doesn't mean I don't take satisfaction from doing better than I have before nor does it mean I don't hold myself up to an extremely high standard. It does mean that I accept myself for who I am and don't constantly look for the new best thing. I've found that doing so prevents me from ever being happy and has led to me passing up great opportunities because I wanted to see what was behind the next door.

[+ bigjoey]

All of my adult life I've been anal retentive obsessive compulsive. If you don’t believe me just ask Oliver.

 

I ceased doing weight training many years ago. I was constantly attempting to use heaver and heaver weights and as one ages that is not the best idea.

 

As I mentioned in another thread I'm currently doing a lot of walking. I have four set routes that I take one after the other. After each of these walks I carefully write down how long it took me to complete and try to improve (shorten) my time the next time I take that walk.

 

I am constantly competing with myself in a multitude of ways in my daily life. What I’m wondering is if any of the rest of you suffer from this same silly disease (obsession)?

Since March, I have been trying to beat my record at walks like yourself. However, when all this began, I got an Apple Watch. It keeps track of all the statistics so I do not need the paper and pencil?.

 

One added Apple bonus feature: it has a fall monitor. I did not not know about it until one morning I tripped while walking on an uneven sidewalk. The watch started beeping and asked me to verify if I fell. It then asked me if it needed to send out a call for help. After I got home with my pride more hurt than my body, I checked out the Apple fall feature. If a person wearing the watch falls and does not respond to the watch, it assumes you are not conscious or physically able to do so and sends out a signal for help and with the watch’s GSP, it knows your location. There are stories online where this feature saved a person’s life.

[dbar123]

Just did legs and one legged box jumps at the private gym. In an hour going on a 45 mile bike ride!

 

Hey I wish I could join you.....

[Lookin]

One added Apple bonus feature: it has a fall monitor. I did not not know about it until one morning I tripped while walking on an uneven sidewalk. The watch started beeping and asked me to verify if I fell. It then asked me if it needed to send out a call for help.

A truly amazing feature which I recently discovered following an oopsy-daisy coming back from the restroom at my favorite watering hole.

 

All the beeping attracted the attention of a fellow patron who managed to prop me upright just in time for last call.

 

 

Not a personal best but it did help turn what had been merely a toot into a full-fledged binge. http://www.boytoy.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Non-verbal competition is a very real thing in gyms and fitness classes.

 

It's a major reason why a lot of people, even with access to fitness apps, are having trouble staying in shape during these lockdowns. There's just something missing when you're looking at a screen and not around other people also working out.

 

That said, I'm hard on myself when working out. If I don't leave the gym (or class) looking like I just went for a clothed swim, I don't consider it a successful day.