On Sunday, we were flipping back and forth on the T.V. between football and golf because Rory McIlroy was about to win The CJ CUP in Las Vegas. When he completed the win, which was his 20th PGA TOUR win, he had some very poignant things to share with the reporter who interviewed him. (Back story: McIlroy left the Ryder Cup last month crestfallen at his efforts on the losing European side.)

“I just need to play golf, I need to simplify it, I need to just be me. For the last few months I was maybe trying to be someone else to try to get better and I sort of realized that being me is enough,” stated McIlroy. We all need to hear those words. “Being me is enough,” should be what we all say to ourselves when we get up in the morning and when we lay our head on the pillow at night. Not only is “being me” enough, it should be something we are proud of. This doesn’t mean we can’t improve, that’s not the point McIlroy so eloquently made. “Being me,” eliminates the comparisonto others—ahhh! There’s the lesson!

Have you been comparing yourself to others? I hope not, because this never goes well—never! We often fall into his trap of comparison, thinking it’s a great way to improve ourselves, but it can only backfire. It bankrupts us of our self-esteem, self-confidence, and our joy. So try an inner scorecard instead. Compare yourself of today to yourself of yesterday. Look, there’s one thing that you’re definitely better at than everyone else: being you. This is the only game you are guaranteed to win.

Let’s GO! WE GOT THIS!

Beth