The comparison game can be a tricky one. 

It can easily leave athletes feeling defeated, discouraged, and distracted. (And let’s face it, this doesn’t just happen with athletes!)

Comparison is a part of life that is hard (impossible, maybe) to get away from. We are naturally inclined to compare our abilities, situations, appearances, etc. to those around us. 

But, what if our athletes could actually use this to their advantage to improve confidence and performance, rather than leave them feeling discouraged? 

Below, we’re going to learn just that! Here’s how to make comparison become a good thing: 

Turn Jealousy Into Inspiration

When athletes are feeling stuck comparing themselves to that strong player that never seems to make a mistake, they must pay attention to the thoughts that float around in their head. 

Instead of feeling jealous or defeated, we can choose to feel inspired instead. 

We can change our thoughts to ones that are more productive and leave us inspired and ready to take action.

We'll dig into this more in the episode.

Pay Attention to Triggers

If the comparison game is getting out of control, your athlete can likely pinpoint key times when it happens and choose to minimize or eliminate those situations (especially if the comparison is leaving her feeling defeated rather than inspired). 

Some common triggers…

-Social Media: When we get stuck scrolling for hours on end, often we feel worse about ourselves than when we began.

-When we’re feeling low/sad: Oftentimes comparison ramps up the most when we’re feeling sad or discouraged.

Maybe it was a tough practice. Maybe she failed a test. Maybe she just got into a fight with a friend. Throw some jealousy on top of that and it’s a vicious cycle that is hard to break. 

We'll talk about actions she can take proactively.

Back to Gratitude

It is said that the brain can’t be in a state of gratitude and a state of fear at the same time. 

When we are getting trapped in an unhealthy comparison cycle, we are essentially living in a state of fear. 

Fear we aren’t good enough. 
Fear we will never be as good as someone else. 
Fear we don’t have what it takes. 
Fear there isn’t enough to go around. 

When we are experiencing gratitude on the other hand, we are free to focus on what we have, rather than what we don’t have. 

We can shift to loving and appreciating ourselves and our unique journey, rather than wishing we were different.

When we're caught comparing, one of the most simple things we can do is create a list of 50 things in life that we're grateful for. 

Everything from our abilities to the opportunities we have to the roof over our head. 

Try it, and be amazed at the shift in your perspective!

There you have it! Three simple ways to overcome comparison and use it to your athlete's advantage on and off the court to build confidence, increase belief in herself, and enable her elite performance. Hint: It will work for you too!

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