A thought

How can one compete against others without first staking a claim of victory within one's self?

I think of this while pondering the names and legacies of the great champions in their venues. No matter the arena, this statement holds altruistic.

I'm challenging myself, because I have not yet won. I have not defeated all of the shortcomings that reside inside of me, and their strangleholds - although abstract and even fragile at times - continue to try and hold me back. Their cries of restraint are what limit my potential, not the will or the talent or the positioning of those ahead of me.

I think of this not because I have misstep, but because I believe I am starting to learn how to succeed.