What’s Next
Super Bowl Rivalries: Eagles-Chiefs and You
Photo courtesy of Matt Haupt, Unsplash
Okay, let's go, Eagles!!
I am rooting for Philly to win the Super Bowl on Sunday.
My prediction? 31-23.
I’ll also own that this is a classic case of Schadenfreude—I’m rooting less for Philly to win than for Kansas City to lose. Aren’t you tired of seeing Mahomes, Kelce, and Coach Reid in every TV advertisement? And I’m sorry, but Taylor Swift is too good for Travis.
And I also have to acknowledge the elephant in the room: as a Pittsburgher, it is painful to root for Philly. I don’t do this lightly. It goes against everything I believe about those cross-state villains. Flyers? Terrible. Phillies? The worst. 76ers? Do they even play? Eagles? Ugh.
But here I am, making an exception. Regardless of how things play out on Sunday, I know I’ll wake up on Monday with one choice—to move forward. Win or lose, the game ends, and life keeps going. This got me thinking: not all rivalries are with others. Sometimes, our biggest rival is ourselves.
When Self-Competition Becomes a Trap
Competing with yourself can be a powerful force for growth. It drives athletes to shave seconds off their best time, entrepreneurs to outdo their last launch, and professionals to keep pushing forward.
But sometimes, we hold ourselves to past standards that no longer fit. Are you:
• Comparing yourself to an outdated version of you? Maybe you’re holding onto an expectation from 10 years ago that isn’t realistic anymore.
• Measuring success the wrong way? If you’re constantly chasing an old definition of success, you might miss out on where you want to go.
• Feeling like you should be doing better because others seem more successful? Comparing your path to someone else’s can be a dangerous distraction.
• Are you beating yourself up instead of lifting yourself? If your inner dialogue is more about criticism than growth, it’s time for a shift.
How to Compete with Yourself in a Healthy Way
If you’re going to compete with yourself, make sure it’s a game worth playing.
• Adjust Your Scoreboard. Ask yourself: What does success look like for me now? Not last year. Not five years ago, but now.
• Set Process Goals, Not Just Outcome Goals. Instead of focusing only on results (e.g., “I need to double my revenue”), focus on habits and processes (e.g., “I can improve my outreach strategy, or I can develop new skills to give myself more career options”).
• Celebrate Small Wins. Progress is progress. If you only reward yourself when you hit a massive milestone, you miss all the victories.
• Compete with Kindness and Compassion. Be your own fiercest competitor—but also your own best coach. Push yourself, but don’t tear yourself down in the process.
What’s Next?
Rivalry should help us grow, not hold us back, whether with others or with ourselves. At some point, we all have to decide whether an external or internal rivalry is still worth the energy.
Here’s your challenge this week:
• What’s one way you can redefine success for yourself moving forward?
Drop a comment or reply—how do you compete with yourself, and when have you had to change how you measure success?
And let’s see what happens on Sunday. Whether Philly wins or Kansas City pulls it, the three-peat, I’ll be ready to move forward on Monday.
After all, there’s always next year. And maybe the Steelers will even make it past the first round of the playoffs.
I remembered one of my meditation teachers talking about watching two sports teams competing. If you don’t have a dog in the fight then it’s boring. Or if you are rooting against one team to lose it’s a little more interesting. Then there are those that bet the rent on games and live and die watching a game.
Wondered if that was the reason a lot of women are bored cause they don’t have a favorite team or they don’t understand the game.
I am Giants fan and never liked the Eagles but I rooted for them cause I dislike the Chiefs more. I thought a lot of their calls were suspicious this past season.
Be well Manus