Reasons NOT to Compete
by Cindy Gillan
It's a Saturday afternoon in June. It's hot, you are tired, and you're away from home, getting ready to run a race, play a game, or compete in some type of athletic event. Why are you doing this?The only time you should compete is when you have more to gain than to lose, suggests Jim Taylor, Ph.D., a sports psychologist in San Francisco. He is talking to runners, but his advice is meant for all athleteswho can choose when to compete. According to Taylor, there are five times when you should consider not competing. You might not agree, but perhaps his thoughts will force you to consider your own motivation.

To Build Confidence"You should never compete to build your confidence," says Taylor, writing for Rocky Mountain Sports. "Confidence does not come from competing, but rather from sound preparation. Athletes typically emerge from so called 'confidence-building' competition with less confidence than they had before."

When You Know You Will WinTaylor also thinks you should never enter a competition because you know you will win. He says that scenario becomes a no-win situation. If you are expected to win and do win, little is gained. If you lose, you can suffer a loss of confidence.

Not PreparedThe third occasion on which you should not choose to compete is when you are not totally prepared to perform at your best. If you are not at your physical and mental peak, you are not likely to perform well and the experience will do more harm than good.

To Break Out of a SlumpDon't compete to break out of a slump, advises Taylor. The pressure caused by slumps almost always ensures that you will not perform well. Instead, try to understand what is causing the slump. Then, through proper training, gradually raise your level of performance.

No Reason to CompeteThe final reason not to compete is when there is no reason to do it. Some athletes compete just because there is an event on the schedule. In that situation, motivation is usually low and a poor effort is almost inevitable.

Source: Georgia Tech Sports Medicine and Performance Newsletter, Vol. 8 No. 9 June 2000