The Dark Side of Athletic Competition - [Glue Guys, EP.26]

62 snips

Feb 20, 2025

Explore the evolution from external to internal motivation in athletic competition. Personal stories reveal the challenges of balancing rivalry and self-definition. Listen to insights on transitioning from pro sports to business, emphasizing the need for continual learning. The conversation also critiques a winning-centric culture and its effects on identity post-retirement. Digital pressures on children and the importance of setting clear, flexible goals round out the discussion, highlighting the complexity of motivation in both sports and life.

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INSIGHT

Define the Game

Before considering your competition, define the game you’re playing.
This clarifies your goals and reveals who you're actually competing against.

ADVICE

Define Success

Define what success means to you and what you want to accomplish.
Don’t let inertia guide you towards goals you don’t care about.

ANECDOTE

Elite 11 Obsession

Alex Smith was intensely aware of the Elite 11 quarterbacks in high school.
He tracked their progress and compared himself, fueling his competitive drive.

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Who are you competing against? Diving into personal stories and insights, Alex, Shane, and Ravi examine the evolution from external to internal motivation across different phases of life and careers. Their competitive drives are on full display, from Shane’s fear of an unknown competitor to Alex tracking his Elite 11 peers in high school. The conversation takes an introspective turn as they discuss parenting, the challenges of transitioning from pro sports to business careers, and the importance of defining what game you're really playing. The Glue Guys give an honest look into how top performers think about finding purpose beyond competition and the value of being intentional about your goals.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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Glue Guys is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Glue Guys, visit https://joincolossus.com/series/glue-guys/.

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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Learn About Ramp

(00:03:15) Defining Success: Internal vs External Competition

(00:05:44) High School Rivalries and the Drive to Prove Oneself

(00:07:42) The Evolution of Competition: From Peers to Self

(00:11:39) The Fear of the Unknown: A Powerful Motivator

(00:23:22) Adapting to Change: The Journey of an Aging Athlete

(00:37:12) Fatherhood and Internal Motivation

(00:39:17) The Unique Path and Role Models

(00:42:21) The Impact of External Motivators

(00:49:02) Parenting and Internal Motivation

(00:54:23) Defining Personal Goals and Competition

(01:00:28) The Power of Visualization and Goals