At the 2010 Olympics, Canadians had a proud day in celebrating the success of their women’s hockey team. With the world watching, Canada’s team played an incredible match against their rival Americans and triumphed for the gold. It was a rousing story and an intense game.
Whether you’re a proud Canadian, a heartbroken American, or an enthusiastic spectator from another country, watching that game showed you something above and beyond the average hockey game. In fact, that was some of the best hockey we’ve ever seen, comparable to the great games of history (like the “Miracle On Ice”). There’s no doubt that it’s largely due to the talent and hard work of the players, but there’s another factor: competition.
These were two teams with incredible potential and a record of achievement, but what we saw yesterday was beyond anything we’d seen from either team before. Each pushed the other to greater heights than either would have achieved alone.They found their competition.
In business, you can do the same. You know who your competitors are – set your sights on the best. Learn what they’re doing, and why. Challenge them on it. Push them to work harder, and let them push you to do the same. When you’ve got a tight competition, you’ll find it brings out your best. And that’s better for everyone. Don’t fear your competition – find it, and embrace it.
