LA Rams News: CB Jalen Ramsey maturity more dangerous than ever

Ramsey competing with Ramsey

The greatest competition for an athlete is not to best others, but rather to be the best version of oneself. While not many professional athletes realize this during their NFL careers, the ones who do so find many benefits from the process. What exactly are those benefits?

The first and foremost benefit is a true measure of success. As Jalen Ramsey learns how to compete against himself, he becomes his own master. To sum it up, he can develop a laser-sharp focus on things only he can control. In layman’s terms, “run your own race” removes the unhealthy contests, valid-or-not, with other NFL athletes.

LA Rams All-Pro DL Aaron Donald is the perfect example of that mindset. Despite his performance as one of the best NFL players in his day, he continues to applaud and celebrate the deeds of others.  That’s because he does not compete with them in his mind. His only competition is against himself.

Another benefit is that Ramsey competing with himself allows him to define what success truly is for Jalen Ramsey. Elite athletes don’t lobby for the highest-paid contracts, nor for annual awards. They master themselves, their game, their role, and allow the money and honors to follow behind. Money is not a measure of success. Nor is a single season. True success in the NFL is the ability to elevate one’s own play while elevating the play of others. It’s that point in time when an athlete no longer uses words to pull others down to his level, but rather mentors and encourages others to raise their performance up to his.