Don’t look back. Don’t look down. Don’t look to the side.

Look forward. Concentrate.

Don’t worry about opponents or compare yourself to others.

Play your game. Run your race. Do your thing.

If we work on our own potential, never worrying about how we compare to others or what others think, always looking ahead to how we can grow and improve, then chances are good that we will succeed.

If we spend precious time and energy always looking over our shoulders at the fellow competitor who is about to pass us, or feeling self-conscious about how we stack up in the competition, chances are greater we that we will not reach our athletic potential.

Participation in sports is about developing our own skills, setting our own goals, and working at our own pace.

It shouldn’t matter how well, or how poorly, another athlete is performing. Ultimately it’s up to us to do our best. Any energy we spend being distracted, worried, self-conscious, or overly concerned is energy that is not being used to train, be focused, and push the limits of our potential and ability.