The Line of Competitive Obsession by Shelly Pinkerton

There are so many elements to take into consideration when trying to stay at the top of your game. Above and beyond the obvious – sticking to your diet, making each workout count, and getting enough rest – and forgetting the smaller (but still critical) details – taking care of your skin and hair, picking the right suit style and color – there is a key to success that is more spiritual in nature than any of the material factors brought into play.

Obviously, in our sport, competition is the name of the game. We are a very small population that has found the desire, discipline and drive to hone our physical beings into a work of art that we proudly present to be judged against the concept of the perfect female form. We vie for that center spot on the stage, triumphant and victorious when called forth as one chosen, frustrated and crestfallen when passed over. In our tightly-knit industry, we are well-aware of our rivals, albeit in good sport, but rivals nonetheless, and we always have one eye on the progress of our worthy opponents. There is a line, however, that once crossed, can lead even the most focused and diligent competitor down a path of confusion, self-doubt and failure; I call it the “line of competitive obsession” - obsession over what the competition is doing that you aren't.

For women, especially, this concept can get especially deep seated; women, for the most part, have an acute natural awareness of other humans – intuition, right? Our awareness of those around us and how we interact is heightened simply by being female – a trait ingrained in most women to prepare us for nurturing and motherhood. Not to mention our highly-competitive nature when vying for the attention of the male factor, a human-specific characteristic that is found in only a few other species. We are already set up to be super-sensitive to our surroundings and that which affects us, in all scenarios. Now let’s throw in the pressures our society of the millennium has put on us to think, feel, act, smell, talk and, most importantly, LOOK a certain way. Combine all this with the nature of our sport of choice - a cosmetic sport - and you have the makings for a perfect stew of obsession. Ladies, beware; this is where you can get caught.

The U.S. Army has a really, really great slogan…”Be All That You Can Be”. Women of figure, I want you to read it like this…”Be All That YOU Can Be”. To get hung up on what everyone else may or may not be doing is certain death in our industry. We can only be true champions if we focus inward and work toward our own personal best performance. One cannot be consumed with the practices of another and expect to be at the top of their own game. If you are so busy worrying about what the competition is doing, you lose site of your own needs and goals. Not every body is created equal, and therefore every body's particular needs are different. Spiritually speaking, you must find it within yourself to know what completes your particular “package”; to look to others to make their formulas or programs your own is not only misplaced, but dangerous. What shines through on that stage is the particular charisma each individual brings forth from her own character – and this is where competitions are won. So sit back and take a good look within; make a list of all your own characteristics, both strong and weak. Make the commitment to strengthen the weak ones and further strengthen the strong ones. Appreciate the same characteristics in your worthy opponents, and use the knowledge to hone your own particular “game”. And remember, we are sisters-in-arms – let’s celebrate each other!

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