24/12/2025
Yesterday, a girl came to me and shared how competitive she feels — how strong her need to win is, even to the point of breaking rules. What stood out was not the competitiveness itself, but how hard she was being on herself.
This is a message I often share with children (and adults) who place immense pressure on themselves:
"You don’t have to be 100% better than everyone else. Nobody is perfect. You just need to be 1% better than yourself yesterday."
This idea, inspired by Atomic Habits by James Clear, helps shift the focus away from constant comparison and perfectionism, and toward personal growth and emotional regulation.
When children learn that progress matters more than winning, they begin to build healthier motivation, resilience, and respect for boundaries.
Sometimes, winning isn’t about being the best — it’s about becoming a little better, one step at a time.