Life IS Competition! This is something I teach to all of my coaching clients, my martial arts students, and pretty much anyone who listens to me on stage or reads my books. No matter what we want to tell ourselves or others, this is a major truth that we have to face. Those who deny it are just fooling themselves or trying to sell something to fools.
Summer is no different, and it’s just around the corner….so are you ready for the competition?
Most people know they will be wearing less in the summer and so they have to compete to look their best. Sometimes it’s competing to look better than others, but most importantly it’s a competition with themselves….just to look our personal best. This is a healthy thing when done right. Even Olympic athletes aren’t at their peak 365 days a year. So, if we set goals for ourselves to hit our peak at times of the year such as summer or getting ready for a beach vacation, we can give ourselves the incentive we need to workout more and eat better.
What about kids? Is summer competitive for them? It is becoming more so with every year. Smart parents realize that no matter what age their kids are, they should be preparing. One day they will want to get into college, get scholarships, and get jobs. All of these things are absolute competition. So, smart parents take advantage of the opportunities presented each summer. This is a chance to get additional cross training for sports and just to stay healthy (and not become another statistic on childhood obesity). It’s also an opportunity for kids to engage in activities that provide more personal development. There are great things that kids can take part in that build their focus and other skills that will lead to success in school when they go back at summer’s end. Are you taking advantage of these opportunities for your children? Each summer you do not, someone else does….and that means they will be better prepared for winning the competition.
Kids need to have fun–that’s kind of their job, and they won’t have a second chance at a great childhood. Along with having fun, they can do something worthwhile. That’s where parents can help pick out great opportunities to really have it all. Kids rely on their parents to make the best decisions for them. Some parents are more worried about being their children’s friend than a parent. This turns to disaster because then the parents allow the children to quit anything that doesn’t fit their mood for the day. And allowing them to quit just leads to a habit for the future.
So, look for activities for kids to do on their own, and also don’t forget to make time to do things as a family! More and more today, kids growing up with so much technology and media overload are lacking in socialization and communication skills. Extra family time can help overcome these challenges. This isn’t about being their friend like I mentioned, this is good old fashioned “family time”. So take the video games away and spend time together because like their childhood—we might not get a second chance to spend this time together.
Summer Time is Competition Time! Compete to Win!
For more information on health, safety and fitness, contact Jeff Dousharm at Jeff@paradigmimpactgroup.com