面对比赛，你是否也曾打过退堂鼓：

“我没时间。”

“压力太大了。”

“比赛根本不适合我。”

以上这些是真实的原因，还是你给自己找的退路？

今天这篇文章，Coach Paul会彻底改变你看待“竞争”的方式，让我们一起走进今天的教练专栏，走进“比赛的那些事儿”。

I know what you're thinking: “I have too much homework. I don't think this is for me. This sounds like a lot of stress. And even if wanted to, I just don't have the time.” 

我知道你在想什么：“我的作业太多了”“我觉得这不适合我”“听起来压力好大”“就算我想参加，我也没时间”。

Oh, how often have I heard it and even said so myself. But really, are those valid reasons, or just weak excuses? Let's try to find out together. In this Article, I want to help you build the right mindset and maybe even inspire you to join your first ever competition.

这种话我听过无数次，连我自己也说过。但说真的，这些是站得住脚的理由，还是只是软弱的借口？我们一起来找找答案。

In this Article, I want to help you build the right mindset and maybe even inspire you to join your first ever competition.

在这篇文章里，我想帮你建立正确的心态，尝试克服阻碍去参加人生中的第一场比赛。

Firstly, you have to understand who is it you're competing against. Who the real “enemy” is. And guess what? This person is closer than you think. You see this person every day when you brush your teeth or putting on your clothes. Have you guessed who it is? That's right, it is you! 

首先，你必须明白你的对手是谁——谁才是真正的“敌人”。这个人比你以为的要近得多。你每天刷牙、穿衣服的时候都能看见他/她。猜到了吗？没错，对手就是你自己！

And here is the best news: that is the only person that you're competing against. The idea of competing against yourself is truly liberating: if you can do something better today, that you couldn't do yesterday, congratulations, you are already winning the competition. Surely you won;t get a trophy or certificate for beating yesterday's “you”. 

而最好的消息是：这才是你唯一需要与之竞争的人。与自我竞争这个想法，真的会让人如释重负：如果你今天能做到某件昨天做不到的事——恭喜你，你已经在这场比赛中赢了。当然，打败昨天的自己不会让你拿到奖杯或证书。

But that little victory is far more important than any trophy of any competition.

但那个小小的胜利，比任何比赛的奖杯都重要得多。

Now, let's try to analyze the reasons for not joining the competition and look at them individually. No time or too much homework. Let me ask you this, when have you ever had no homework at all? Maybe a few lucky days when your teacher was in a good mood. When did you have enough time to do everything you've ever wanted? I think the answer will be pretty similar. 

现在，我们来逐一分析那些不参加比赛的理由。“没时间”或“作业太多”。但是你什么时候会完全没有作业？也许只有老师心情好的那寥寥几天。你又什么时候有过足够的时间，去做所有你想做的事？我想和上一种情况差不多。

Truth is, the “right” time will never come, unless you make it right. There is an old proverb that I absolutely love with that says: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

事实是，所谓的“合适时机”永远不会自己到来——除非你去创造它。有句我特别喜欢的古老谚语说：“种一棵树最好的时间是二十年前，其次就是现在。”

Find the time to join at least once, trust me, it's worth it.

请挤出时间至少参加一次比赛，相信我，这很值得。

The competition seems like a lot of stress. Sure, so does everyday life. Every single person in the world is undergoing constant stress over something. Question is, how can you perform under stress? The less you are exposed to stressful situations, the worse your performance is going to be. 

比赛看起来是一件压力很大的事情。日常生活也是如此。这世上的每一个人，都在为某些事承受着持续的压力。问题在于：你在压力下如何表现？你暴露在压力情境下的次数越少，你的表现就会越差。

It's all about knowing how to manage stress, how to turn a switch in your brain that allows you to focus on here and now. This skill is essential to have and it goes way beyond the speech competitions. If you can master it, you will have a tremendous advantage in any high stake situation. You will focus your mind like a laser and get anything you need done.

关键全在于你能否学会管理压力——如何在大脑里按下那个开关，让自己专注于当下。这项技能至关重要，而且它的用处远不止于演讲比赛。如果你能掌握它，在任何高压的情境下，你都会拥有巨大的优势。你会像激光一样聚焦你的心智，完成任何你需要做的事情。

What if it is not for me? What if I embarrass myself? What if I will be late for the sign-ups? 

“万一这不适合我呢？”“万一我出丑了呢？”“万一我错过了报名呢？”

Alright, here is how to turn a “what if” excuse into an action. Instead of talking yourself down and having a negative mindset, rephrase this question: “What if it is for me and I have been missing out?” Or: “What if I will be the most competent speaker in the room?” “What if I will make a new friend in between the rounds?” This curious mindset is what drives a lot of people to become the best versions of themselves.

好，这里教你如何把这些“万一”借口转化为行动。与其自我贬低、抱着消极心态，不如换一种问法：“万一这真的很适合我，而我一直错过了呢？”或者：“万一我会成为房间里最有能力的演讲者呢？”“万一我会在比赛间隙交到一个新朋友呢？”这种充满好奇的心态，正是驱使许多人成为最好自己的动力。

 Last year I've signed up to my first ultra-marathon obstacle course race using the same mindset. It was a 55 kilometer race with over 70 different obstacles and it felt as scary as it sounds. But I kept asking myself: “What if I can sign up and beat it? What if I show up at the starter line despite all the excuses? What if I run until my legs give up and then run some more?” And let me tell you, after I've crossed that finish line, I've realized that nothing is impossible. And you, my friend, are capable of more than you think. 

去年，我就是用同样的心态报名了人生第一场超级马拉松障碍赛。那是一场55公里的比赛，有70多个不同的障碍，听起来有多吓人，实际就有多吓人。但我不断问自己：“万一我能报名并战胜它呢？万一我能无视所有借口，站上起跑线呢？万一我能跑到双腿不听使唤，然后继续跑下去呢？”我告诉你，当我冲过那条终点线后，我意识到：没有什么是不可能的。而你，我的朋友，你的能力超乎你的想象。

Remember, you can start hiking and reach the top of the mountain, or never learn what is it that people see from the peak.

记住，你可以选择开始攀登，最终到达山顶，否则你永远不知道，山顶上的人看到的究竟是什么风景。

I really hope that these tips can help you start your own competition journey. A journey of becoming better than you were yesterday. A journey to the top of the mountain. 

我真的希望这些建议能帮你开启属于你自己的比赛之旅：一段让你变得比昨天更好的旅程，一段通往山顶的旅程。

A journey that begins now.

一段从现在就开始的旅程。