How to Combat Competition with Creativity—(Spiritually Speaking)

Competition. It is everywhere, not just in sports or business. It drives how we look, how we think, what we buy, how we do business, how we relate to people. ‘Sizing-up’ causes peer pressure—we observe our ‘rivals’, and respond to our perceptions of inadequacies or strengths—in comparison. It fuels a desire to be the BEST in any given arena.

Much competition is healthy and necessary—in business or sports, etc. But what do we do when the sense of competition is an internal, gnawing, negative fiend that keeps us bogged down? What if our ‘competitor’ is a teammate, co-worker, or loved one with whom we feel at odds? What if our task is supposed to be to co-operate with people, or happily do our own thing instead of compete with them? Possibly, a more hidden or spiritual dynamic needs to be addressed within, for us to experience breakthrough—and peace.

1. Recognize the source of the competition. This involves taking a good, hard look at what is motivating or affecting you in a certain area. Is there anything other than healthy competition prompting you to make certain choices? Your spirit may be prodding you with signals of discomfort to bravely examine and make changes that set you free to walk fully in your destiny.

Check your spiritual pulse to see if you wrestle with any negative motivators. For example:

—Killer Comparison (see blog about insecurity/jealousy).

—The ‘fear of not having enough’ can tempt you to malign other people or copy ideas that have worked well for other people, instead of trusting in your own ever-flowing fountain of creative potential.

—The fear of criticism or accusation can hold you back from fashioning your own stuff or thinking outside the box. You may fear people taking credit for your ideas. Any type of threat–real or perceived–squelches creativity and productivity.

I have learned that the best ‘revenge’ or route to healing from fears or wounds–is to live well.

2. Identify your real competitor. Acknowledging the negative sources that drive you is the crucial first step. And while the odds might truly be stacked against you in certain areas, overcoming your negative mindsets or beliefs and truly believing in yourself is the key to turning things around.

3. Launch your own unique creativity. Run confidently, with the faith that you can develop your own personal ‘style’ to show the world because there is no one exactly like you. Unless you have a certain company protocol to follow, (I’m not advocating rebellion to authority), internalize the belief that you possess something to contribute to society that no one else can replicate. You don’t have to follow someone else’s mold or method—you can use what others have done—as inspiration to fashion a masterpiece with your own special touch.

Our creator delights in supplying us with endless revelation of business ideas, inventions, art, music, notions to write about, photo ops, website designs, etc., if we will only tune in, watch, and listen. And then give thanks and proper credit for it along the way.

4. Adopt a mindset of superseding and multiplying. Give your absolute best creative effort today—without holding back for fear of experiencing lack tomorrow (“I’ll never be able to top THIS”). Assume that every day you will receive increasing, surpassing inspiration. New, fresh revelation in abundance is available for you—for everyone, all the time. We don’t have to possess the corner of the market—we thrive and achieve our goals by producing our own personal best, every day.

If you learn to approach your tasks from original creative angles, you will walk in success and freedom from the typical traps that can cause stagnation. You can rise above the traditions, expectations, and petty critiques that will always abound, and impact the world with your imaginative, bursting, swirly flourishes that radiate and captivate.

Go for it!