It’s very hard to understand in the beginning that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants to quit. – Dr. George Sheehan

I love this quote, which I got from a runner buddy of mine at work. I suppose some elite or competitive runners might focus primarily on winning, but I think the sentiment above is true for most other runners. When I race, it would be nice to win (I assume – it’s never happened before and probably never will), but I’m more focused on personal goals: What’s my best time at this distance? How fast do I think I can go today? Do I have enough left in the tank to keep up this pace? How disappointed in myself would I be if I slowed down or quit early?

One of the most important lessons my mother ever taught me was that I should do my best, whatever that might be, and that my best was good enough.

For me, meeting the goals I set is its own reward. I measure my success largely with data. On the trail, I use faster times or longer distances. In school, I used my GPA and test scores. At the doctor’s office, I use cholesterol counts and resting heart rates. When driving, I use my MPG.

Yes, I’m a nerd. But unless you’re new here, you already knew that.

Despite my enthusiasm for my favorite teams, I’m not terribly competitive when it comes to my own pursuits. Competition compares my effort and ability, which are somewhat under my control, to those of my opponents, which are completely outside my control. I can’t influence how fast the other runners run, so I’m not upset when the other guy can run a 20-minute 5k. I couldn’t stop our high school valedictorian from pushing his GPA nearly a full point ahead of mine, so I didn’t worry about it.

However, many people are motivated by things other than data. I am married to one of them. Jenny accepts my interest in (obsession with?) data as a driving force for my ambitions. She cheers me on when I come home from a run and report a new personal record, even if the actual numbers are meaningless to her. But as she tries to get in better shape and lose weight, she wants a more concrete and external reward than just lower numbers on a scale. Leading up to our recent cruise, for example, she visualized a beautiful blue dress that she wanted to buy and wear for the formal night. After the cruise, the dress no longer provided motivation, and she lost a bit of enthusiasm. Now she is searching for a new reward to keep her motivated.

You can probably think of other examples of externally motivated people. In Rocky IV, motivated by revenge, Rocky posts a newspaper photo of Drago on his mirror. An honors student only reaches her full potential after her parents promise her a car if she becomes valedictorian. A manager promises himself a nice vacation once he gets the promotion. A ballerina practices hours every day hoping to finally win her father’s approval.

Are you more internally or externally motivated? Do you compete more against yourself or others? Are you more focused on pleasing yourself or others? Does data, money, acclaim, revenge, love, or another factor fill your sails best? I want to hear your thoughts.