Monday Motivation | Friendly Competition

I had met with a few of my close girl friends for brunch, like we always do. One is the owner of a very successful online boutique, one an award winning nurse and myself, a PR professional. This particular time our conversation was centered toward business which isn’t surprising because honestly, we’re all a bit obsessed with getting better and growing. All of us are twenty-something year old single ambitious women pioneering our own lanes and are all seemingly successful as individuals. Although all of our fields are different, we’re constantly exchanging ideas, advice and information we think can be used to help one another.

Throughout our meal, we talked specifically about retirement funds, taxes, and how much we pay ourselves versus what we put back into our businesses. Before sipping down our final mimosa, we ended our discussion on the topic of savings. Each of us chimed in to tell what methods we use and what works best for us when my friend with the online boutique casually mentioned how she changed her process once her account hit $100,000. She must’ve figured that she caught us off guard by the looks on our faces because she innocently replied “what? Y’all don’t have $100K saved?”.

I’m a woman who prides herself on her financial responsibility but I was thrown completely off by the fact that one of my closest girl friends had six figures sitting in the bank. It made what I thought was a big number in my account seem small. Realistically, our lifestyles are all similarly luxurious; but this girl is doing something that the rest of us weren’t – putting up way more money. I drove away from the restaurant with one thought in my mind; I needed to step it up. If she can save $100K, I can too. If she can create a six-figure business with a laptop and a $800 budget, I can too. If she can go out and cop a brand new BMW, I can too! But I won’t LOL.

This thought wasn’t coupled with envy or any other negative emotion. Instead, it came with a feeling of motivation and inspiration as I began to want it for myself too. It was in that moment that I finally appreciated the idea of friendly competition. The importance of surrounding yourself with others who continually require you to do more is unparalleled. I’m so thankful for my immediate relationships that not only tell me, but show me that there’s so much more to be attained in life.

Find a circle of friends that inspire you solely based off of how they live their own lives. Their actions alone encourage you to do more and they have the necessary knowledge to help you do so. It’s nearly impossible to sit still when the people closest to you are in constant pursuit of their aspirations. Check your friends for some friendly competition and make sure that you’re playing to win.

Happy Monday babes! Make it a money making week.