Mental Training and the Power of Daily Self-Competition

The Mental Training Principle: Why Life Is a Competition With Yourself

The world loves winners

Modern society is driven by a results-oriented philosophy: set a goal, pour energy into achieving it, and either succeed or fail. The gap between desire and ability often leads to frustration. And even after achieving a goal, a quiet emptiness can creep in—the joy is brief, and soon a new goal is set. The cycle never stops. Life becomes a relentless chase, and in that race, you’re either a winner or a loser. And nobody wants to be the loser.

Sports and the Alpha Drive

Nowhere is this mindset more emphasized than in sports. We hear that “it’s not about winning but participating”—but most athletes don’t buy it. Competition is wired into our nature; the “alpha gene” pushes us to strive for more.

Yet this alpha drive isn’t just about dominating others. It exists so we can surpass ourselves and integrate more effectively into our surroundings. The goal is not blind aggression—but balance: recognizing our limits, pushing them consciously, and building strength through that process. Change yourself, and the world around you starts to change too.

The Power of Mental Training

An athlete who can’t deadlift 300 kg doesn’t quit—they strive to reach their personal best. That effort relies heavily on mental readiness. Across Western media, self-help, mindset hacks, and so-called “new spirituality” are everywhere. But too often, these messages serve more as ego-comfort than true transformation. Real mental training isn’t about adapting to the world’s expectations—it’s about actively changing who you are.

No coaching program or elite trainer will help if you haven’t learned how to train yourself. You’re not a machine running a script—you’re a living, learning system. You need to feel your body, your psyche, and read the feedback between action and effect. The real transformation lies there.

Your Body Remembers

Think back to a day when you almost skipped the gym, but went anyway—and hit a personal best. That spark of willpower becomes embodied. Your body remembers that small act of inner victory and stores it like energy. Later, in life’s tough moments, that same energy becomes available. It’s an invisible thread that connects struggle with strength.

I know this not only as an athlete but as the author of “Awakening Consciousness”, a book on the inner life. All spiritual theories collapse if they don’t apply to daily life. And all physical training is pointless if it doesn’t reshape your character. That intersection—of the physical and non-physical—is where real mental training lives.

If your training isn’t changing you, it’s time to change your training.

Focus Creates Power

Why do I lift? Because I can—and because I love it.
The strength that emerges through training is first and foremost the strength of focus. It’s the fusion of body and mind. Human potential stretches far beyond personal records. To access it, you must align every part of yourself toward one point—just like a magnifying glass focuses sunlight to ignite a flame.

That focus is found in every repetition, not just on competition day. Every training session is a battle. And life itself is a competition—against who you were yesterday. Find your opponent in the mirror, and beat that version of yourself, every single day.