What is Winning?

As I get ready to step on stage for my first comp of the season, I'm thinking a lot about what it means to "win". Bodybuilding is sport where you are truly competing against yourself. It's you against you, fighting to bring your best package each time. You can't control who shows up, and judging can be subjective. The things that matter are the things that are within your control: building your body in your offseason, nailing your nutrition, keeping the intensity up during your workouts, bringing the conditioning, nailing your posing, and improving your stage presence. And yes, while someone on stage will be declared the "winner", that's not the only way there is to win.

To me, placing in a competition is just the cherry on top of what I consider the real win: the journey. I think bodybuilding is such a challenging yet rewarding journey, that the journey alone (regardless of placing in a competition) is what I'm really after. I've worked hard to build a healthy relationship with my body and a healthy relationship with food, and I'm proud to say that I've maintained, if not strengthened, that relationship throughout this prep. My mindset is healthy. I have not compromised my mental of physical health to get here. I'm not miserable with my diet. I'm not dreading my training. I'm doing what I love, it's enjoyable, and it's fun. I haven't lost sight of the pure enjoyment that I get out of this sport. Yes, it gets hard, but it's still enjoyable. I love the journey.

I'm not looking for a placement as validation. I value myself. I value my character. No matter how I stack up against the rest of the competition, I know that I've improved upon myself. I don't need to place to be happy with myself; I am happy regardless of the outcome. Would it be nice to place? Of course... But at the end of the day, "winning" has to do with the journey.