“The Inspiration to go the extra distance”
I have been a competition addicted person my whole life. I enjoy the games, but compete to win. I want others to compete with me and want a good game. If I always win, it isn’t fun for me. If I always lose, it isn’t fun either.
In 1998, months after committing to a full time life of traveling in an RV from River to River, from
Competition to competition, Kristine gave me the Tyr Rhune. She selected it from a host of Rhunes; Success in Marriage, happiness, etc…. When she got to “Victory in Competition” she knew that was something she should get me.
I won the next 11 events in a row. Extreme races, freestyle, boatercross, and slalom kayaking event gold medals were all I could seem to get. I found myself reaching through my dry top latex gasket to physically touch my Rhune and feel the arrow. My internal conversation went something like this. “Victory in competition. Dominance by Dominance. OK, I am here because this is fun, but I am about to compete for the win. I am going to win.” Then, I would remind myself of the elements required to be so fast, or score so high that nobody else had a chance of beating that performance. Because I also spent my time in training, every day, two times/day, with that same goal, and the same connection to the Rhune, to dominate, by dominating, I put the effort in to be the best.
The best way I can describe how I used the Tyr Rhune, “victory in competition” to empower me to achieve great things is not a secret. Every time I saw the arrow, or felt it, or just thought about it, it inspired me to go the extra distance. It honed my focus on that singular goal of performing above what anyone else would do, for the win. When my arms felt like they were going to fall off and my forearms were so cramped up that I couldn’t move my fingers, the Tyr was a reminder that this is temporary, but a win or loss is permanent.
Things evolved and I got older. I started my own company and my kids and team were competing, not only on my behalf but against me. I chose to use the Tyr to help me, help others win, too. Victory in competition didn’t just mean me victorious over my opponent, but it meant my family and team victorious over their own challenges. Dane began wearing his own Tyr and began his rise into a life of dominance by dominance. Surely the Tyr isn’t the reason, but it is there as a reminder that we have to go the extra distance to be better than we were, and we need to go even further to be better than anyone has ever been.
I don’t believe that any symbol, religion, superstition, or fate can help you achieve anything. However, I do believe that anything that helps point your energy in the right direction is critical to your success. When you arise in the morning, having a target to aim for, something to believe in, that will make your energy levels sustain an entire day and night if needed of action towards your goals is worth your weight in gold. The Tyr gives me a burst of energy and focus for a 60-second freestyle competition ride, or it gives me months of focus and drive for my career. The underlying theme is victory in competition. There are those who feel that victory isn’t a good thing. That winning means there is a loser, and creating a loser is a bad thing. I humbly disagree. Every good thing you have, you have done, or you aspire to is a winning thing. Losing is simply losing. Creating a second rate result is just that. It isn’t something to be proud of. It won’t cure cancer, or win a race, or do anything of any value long term. That doesn’t mean everything you do needs to be the best anyone has ever done but isn’t that what you should aspire to?
I am not trying to suggest that the Tyr should have any meaning to you. However, it drives me, it reminds me to go the extra distance to be the best I can be, which is to be the best and win. To win, not just for myself, but for others, too.
Dominance by Dominance- Winning by performing at a higher level. Taking our lives to new levels. Breaking new ground, clearing a path, leading by example, winning.
Tyr- It means something to me. I will keep it in sight at all times. I will share it with anyone interested in high performance and winning. I hope you will find some energy, some motivation, or some confidence that comes with a symbol of such influence over my life.
🙂
EJ