11 Things Brilliant People See As Competition That Average People Don't Even Think About
How the smartest people channel insecurities, distractions, and even procrastination into unstoppable personal growth.
vered shutzman | Shutterstock Healthy competition can create powerful opportunities for growth in our professional lives and relationships. However, it might also stir up envy and resentment, especially for people with self-esteem issues. When we channel our energy into "outdoing" others, we miss the chance to connect with our true selves and instead focus on creating an image that pleases others.
But competition with the right people fosters motivation and perseverance. Brilliant individuals often understand the competitive benefits that average people overlook, driving them to pursue intrinsic goals and success instead of relying on external validation.
Here are 11 things brilliant people see as competition that average people don’t even think about:
1.View insecurities as rivals to build healthier habits.
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Viewing insecurities as rivals allows you to build healthier habits. Setting realistic expectations and positive routines creates space for self-serving personal development rather than relying on external validation. Even if it’s offsetting a tendency for negative self-talk with positive affirmations in the morning, brilliant people view themselves as their most ferocious competition rather than the people around them.
While there’s a healthy balance to strike between feeling pressured into change to “be better” and accepting ourselves in the present moment, brilliant people often hone in on specific traits or habits they want to change and counteract them with clear change.
By viewing their insecurities as competition, they actively work to overshadow them with healthier habits and routines, motivating themselves to change without the guilt, shame, and negativity that tends to veil itself over comparison culture and toxic competition with others.
2.Reframe bad habits as challenges to defeat.
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Overcoming bad habits begins with reframing them as challenges. You cultivate a competitive spirit that encourages growth by viewing unhealthy habits as something you can conquer instead of a stuck routine.
As experts from the National Institute of Health suggest, one of the best ways to overcome bad habits is by replacing them with healthier ones, even if it’s a slight change in your daily routine. By viewing your bad habits as competition, you’re not only motivated by a daily sense of perseverance towards a tangible goal but physically more productive and creative, as another study published in the Frontiers in Psychology journal explains.
3.See distractions as obstacles to stay focused.
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Viewing distractions as barriers to success allows you to establish limits and maintain focus. Various distractions, whether physical, technological interruptions, or emotional cravings, tend to elevate the mental strain we endure on top of the productivity demands we face. According to leadership coach Oliver Thompson, this added mental strain often leads to additional stress and anxiety in our routines, encouraging us to step away from our goals and responsibilities to self-soothe.
By viewing these distractions as competition in the face of our goals — whether daily productivity at work or more significant life changes — we may be more motivated to challenge them to prioritize ourselves. This mindset shift, which many brilliant people have mastered, allows us to separate ourselves from distractions, viewing them as a hindrance to our success rather than something we have no power over controlling.
Acknowledgement is the first step to viewing your distractions as competition. Figure out what encourages you to divide your time, set healthy boundaries, and prioritize healthy habits that enable you to work towards your goals despite distraction.
4.Treat negative self-talk as a rival to boost self-esteem.
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Considering negative self-talk as a competitor promotes mindful practices that enhance self-esteem. However, unlike the rivalry with toxic individuals in our lives, perceiving our harsh inner critic as an inherent adversary may not be the most effective approach to self-soothing on our path to self-discovery and achievement.
To ensure that you’re not giving too much attention or power to negative thoughts that disrupt your self-esteem and confidence, experts like creative coach Jessica Abel suggest comforting your inner critic to enact real change. You can still frame your inner critic as competition to overcome, but the journey toward growth lies in empathetic and compassionate habits like affirmations, trauma healing, and open communication.
We often unknowingly criticize ourselves as a defense mechanism against fear or rejection. While acknowledging the trauma that informs this mindset might feel disorienting, overcoming it starts with this acknowledgment. You can’t overcome the challenge and competition of a harsh inner critic without healing first, and that starts with being honest with yourself and deliberately practicing mindfulness.
5.Outsmart procrastination by viewing it as a competitor.
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Procrastination can be effectively tackled by viewing it as an opponent to outsmart. According to experts like Dr. Rangan Chattergee, procrastination frequently occurs automatically in our daily lives. It presents itself as “an escapist route” to seeking dopamine or relaxation when we abandon healthy practices that emphasize rest.
Of course, demonizing our need for rest will never solve our struggles with burnout or an unhealthy work-life balance. However, viewing procrastination as competition may motivate us to make intentional changes to our routines that provide a better balance of rest and productivity.
Brilliant people see procrastination as a competition that average people don’t even think about. When they experience exhaustion or fatigue, they view it as a sign they’re not resting enough. They make active changes in response to this motivating force, not from a self-criticizing perspective but from an empowered one.
6.Address anxiety by seeing it as a challenge to overcome.
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Viewing anxiety as a challenge enables you to tackle its effects and progress. Instead of passively responding to anxiety, exceptional individuals perceive their fears as challenges to confront, recover from, and conquer, propelling themselves toward their aspirations.
While it’s almost entirely a mindset shift that these people have prioritized to motivate themselves towards more confident and self-assured routines, acknowledging what areas of your life are sparking anxiety can be helpful for the average person to reshape their perspective. Whether it’s a social connection, a part of your work routine, or an unresolved piece of trauma from your past, being able to pinpoint anxiety-ridden situations in your life can be the first step to overcoming them.
While experts from the National Institute of Mental Health argue that there are certain habits you can utilize to reduce anxiety — like cutting back on caffeine, getting enough sleep, and engaging in mindfulness practices — sometimes, our tendency towards anxiety isn’t always “controllable,” but rather a product of our mental state or illness.
In any case, demonizing your anxiety — a natural part of who you are — is only going to spark internally resentful feelings. Instead, find healthy ways to mediate and overcome the consequences of your anxiety daily, helping to support your well-being as you navigate chaotic and stressful situations.
7.Recognize ego as competition to enhance self-awareness.
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Identifying an inflated ego as a rival encourages you to focus on self-awareness. According to leadership expert Eric Young, self-awareness is essential for perceiving your ego as competition. It helps you differentiate between times when your ego influences negative actions and unhealthy habits versus your true character. When the line between these two becomes vague and blurry, this mindset can encourage us to demonize our needs in ways that spiral us into low self-esteem and resentment.
By combating limiting beliefs, your inner critic, or unhealthy habits like seeking external validation from others, you can acknowledge and keep your ego in check as you prioritize reaching for other goals and aspirations.
8.Overcome poor discipline by treating it as an opponent.
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Viewing poor discipline as an adversary makes it simpler to tackle. Various factors can lead us into unproductive habits lacking self-control, including emotional distress, trauma, workplace burnout, and external criticism. While setting goals, these behaviors typically keep us from finding true success, plaguing our daily lives and sabotaging the healthy habits we carefully curate.
By viewing these moments and experiences as competition rather than a fact of life or an innate obstacle to their growth, truly brilliant people feel more motivated and empowered. Instead of feeling discouraged by falling into the trap of poor discipline or distraction, they view these experiences as something to overcome and pivot from — empowering their self-confidence and motivation.
9.Treat goals as rivals to stay committed to growth.
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Treat your goals as rivals to prioritize and commit to personal growth. Embrace a competitive spirit to take responsibility for your development. Instead of viewing accomplished people as competition, let the future version of yourself motivate you.
According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, our other goals are the most significant barrier to our success. When we overwhelm ourselves with too many expectations and aspirations, we often stagnate, unable to prioritize what we truly want with the proper habits and goals.
Brilliant people see personal goals and aspirations as competition that average people don’t consider. They view their goals as a “rival” to overcome and commit to rather than demonizing other people already achieving them. With this slight mindset shift, you set yourself up for a fulfilling journey toward success rather than an unsettling and resentful one focused on envy.
10.See illness and exhaustion as competitors inspiring better habits.
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Illness and exhaustion can inspire habits that enhance well-being. Instead of seeing poor health or fatigue as personal failures, framing them as competition encourages self-preserving habits like genuine rest and healthy work-life boundaries to address them.
Being tired is part of our human nature, especially amid the chaos of our current responsibilities and realities, and demonizing our bodies’ response to it only encourages our inner critic to shine.
Even illness is one of the things brilliant people see as competition that average people don’t even think about. They craft healthy routines to mitigate the consequences of sickness or exhaustion and prevent it by cultivating practices and habits that contribute to their general well-being.
11.View making connections as challenges to improve communication skills.
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Viewing social connections as challenges fosters stronger communication skills. Those who excel embrace healthy communication and step out of their comfort zones, viewing new connections competitively. The more they connect, the better their social skills, empowering them to handle unfavorable life experiences.
Social connections don’t just add purpose and value to our lives. They encourage us to find community, feel empowered and happy, and seek healthy relationships that add to our character and identity.
While competing with other people won’t necessarily bring healthy connections into your life, viewing opportunities for social connection as competition for yourself can be beneficial for getting out of your comfort zone and practicing the art of communication, empathy, and social interaction.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.