Question:

Ryan, some of our Bantam age players seem to focus on other players and their points and skill level and comparing them to their own. What are your thoughts on this?

  Rod

Answer:

Rod, I have no issues over players looking at the standings or the goals and assists. It is what it is. I do have issues when players and people fixate themselves on this comparison game as an excuse.

George Washington Allston said "The only competition worthy of a wise man is with himself." I like to say this in a different way, Focus our energy on beating OUR yesterdays. Only with hindsight as my guide have I come to understand the importance of this principle. Too many times, especially in professional sports, we get into the 'comparison game.' Let's take my NHL career and compare it to Wayne Gretzky's NHL career. From the time that we played together on Team Canada at the World Junior Championships during December of 1977, here's a look at our two NHL careers. Gretzky scored 20 or more goals per season 15 times and 30 or more goals 13 times, while I had seven 20+ goal seasons and one 30+ goal season. Wayne finished his 20 NHL seasons with 1487 games played, scoring 894 goals and 1963 assists, amassing 2857 total points. My NHL career lasted 15 seasons and 1003 games, and I scored 264 goals, with total points at the 646 mark. Gretzky holds 56 NHL records and won four Stanley Cups. I don't hold an NHL record and have only one Stanley Cup ring.

I think you get my point! If I was to compare my statistical performance in the NHL with my peers, led by Wayne Gretzky, I may have reason for post-playing-depression. But this isn't fair. We are different people, with different bents, different gifts, and different lives to live. The important differentiation is:   Don't focus on comparing--focus on competing!

While Wayne was amassing these amazing statistics and breaking long-standing records, I competed against him, and our team competed against his team. Competition is invigorating and healthy and many of those evenings we came out on top. Comparison, however, is more about ego and propels us down a road that never ends. The question to ask of those who live their lives comparing stats is, "when does it stop?" Do we compare the IQ of each other's kids? Do we compare the cars that we drive (I hope not because I love my pickup truck), the vacations that we take, and all the rest?

Figure skater Peggy Fleming Jenkins said it well: "The most important thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else--it has to be yours. That is all that will justify the hard work needed to achieve success. Compete against yourself, not others, for that is who is truly your best competition."

It's been said that it is hard to save money when our neighbors keep buying things that we can't afford. In the comparison game, the season never ends.

Ryan Walter played 15 NHL Seasons and has a Masters Degree in Leadership/Business. He is a Leadership trainer and speaks to Corporations, Organizations and Hockey Associations across North America. For information on booking Ryan or to purchase his programs, books, DVD and to sign up for Ryan's weekly free e-newsletter on leadership and team performance...go to www.ryanwalter.com . View Ryan's brand new video at www.ryanwalter.com/addingvalue.asp .   There's still time to join Ryan on his   Leadership Cruise to Mexico departing Jan 26 th . Go to www.leadershipcruise.com