After I started doing triathlons, I began to feel something unexpected. Because I started later in life, I had no desire to compete with younger athletes. Winning or losing wasn’t even the point—our experience, our physical strength, everything was different. Naturally, the person I needed to face wasn’t “someone else,” but the version of myself from yesterday.
At first, my goal was simply to finish the race. Everything began from zero, and comparing myself to others who were far beyond my level made no sense. All I could do was move at my own pace and work on my own challenges.
But as the days of training accumulated, I realized something:
My true rival wasn’t outside—it was inside me.
Whenever I discovered even the smallest growth in myself compared to the day before, I felt joy, and a seed of confidence started to grow. Over time, this internal growth helped rebuild a sense of “self-evaluation” that came from within.
⸻
The Evaluation Axis I Had Nearly Lost in the Working World
After years of working in society, it’s easy to unconsciously let other people’s evaluations determine your own worth.
In the workplace, there is constant competition, performance metrics, and evaluations. Before I knew it, I had begun to rely on external measures such as:
• How others see me
• Someone’s opinion or comment
• Organizational standards
When evaluations were good, I felt happy.
But when they weren’t, it was as if I myself had been rejected.
My sense of self became vulnerable, constantly shaken by the outside world.
⸻
What Triathlon Helped Me Rediscover
Through triathlon, I rediscovered my inner axis of evaluation:
• Did I grow compared to yesterday?
• Did I put in the effort I can be proud of?
• Was I honest with myself?
Living by these standards made me less affected by other people’s words or actions. I began to feel a sense of inner alignment—a steadiness. As a result, the quality of my work improved naturally, and so did my outcomes. Instead of chasing evaluations, I started becoming someone who naturally receives positive evaluations. That led to a cycle of growth and stability.
This way of living created a foundation of peace and resilience within me, influencing many areas of my life.
⸻
Triathlon May Be a “Byproduct,” but the Lessons Are Fundamental
Triathlon might just be a hobby—a byproduct of daily life.
But realizing the origin of my own evaluation axis has become a fundamental lesson that supports my life.
To decide my value based on my own standards, not someone else’s—
Rediscovering that ability has meant more to me than the sport itself.