Over the years, I have seen many women fall short of placing in the finals because they did not rise to the occasion.

It's disappointing to see their potential fall by the wayside.

I see so much in them.

But it's like they can't see it in themselves, so they give up before they can show what they're made of.

That's why in today's post, I want to talk about competition.

What that looks like in pageantry and why it's important for women to have a healthy view of competition.

Pageant Advice: Don't Be Afraid to Really Compete

Not to get all Miss America on you but pageants are a competition.

But what does it mean to really compete in one?

In a general sense to compete for something means to strive to win a contest by out-doing your opponent.

If you're just going through the motions of the competition then you are not really competing.

To be truly competitive means to set yourself up as a contender, i.e. a person who has a good shot at winning.

You won't establish yourself as a contender if all you do is the bare minimum.

So what's stopping you from competing at a high level?

Pageant Advice: Yes, You Can Do Anything

For most contestants not believing in themselves is their greatest setback.

Their lack of confidence keeps them from going all in.

They think to themselves, what if I fail? what if this happens or what if that happens?

It's almost like they're afraid of failure so they would rather not try.

But if we spend our time contemplating the what-ifs, the failures.

Then we miss out on some of the best opportunities life has to offer.

If you're not giving the pageant your best effort then you're only cheating yourself.

And that's not fair to you, your family, sponsors or supporters.

The whole point of the competition is to find the best competitor.

But if only a few contestants are going all in, then can we really say that we are crowning the best woman for the job?

Pageant Advice: A Little Healthy Competition Never Hurt Anyone

Ladies, it's time we rethink the word competition.

Everything in life has its pros and cons.

I can confidently tell you that competition breeds character growth and improves performance.

I have had the privilege to work with many contestants over the years.

Each one of them has shared how pageantry has pushed them to grow.

They have learned the value of hard work, perseverance and gained greater confidence in themselves.

They've also learned how to win with humility and how to lose with grace.

If you are blessed to walk away with your pageant title, know that your win does not take away from the other contestant's success.

And vice versa.

Just because you didn't capture the title does not mean you weren't successful in the pageant.

Success in pageantry is when you truly put your best foot forward and strive for the top spot.

Because it is through that drive for the top spot that you will learn who you truly are.

Pageant Advice: Winning Isn't Everything

You can't make winning the pageant your only reason for entering.

It can't be your endgame.

Only one person can walk away with the crown and what happens if that person isn't you?

You would probably be crushed.

That's why it's so important to have other motivations.

So that you aren't attributing success solely to winning the crown.

Final Thoughts

If you're a contestant in a pageant I want you to know that it's okay to dream big.

Be ambitious! Be competitive!

You have nothing to lose by putting in a little extra effort.

Trust me.

You will feel so much pride in yourself for what you were about to accomplish.

Crown or no crown.