My life has changed dramatically as a result of my commitment to exercise, and in particular, my routine at the gym. And I noticed something interesting one day as I was working out.

Despite this not being your run of the mill gym, I can't help but notice on occasion, when I'm riding the stationary bike or elliptical machine, that someone will get on the one next to me and I very unconsciously begin to pick up the pace a little. It's possible this is my other than conscious wanting to show off or not be out done.

Conversely, I have also noticed if I get on a machine next to someone, they'll often do the same thing. Most people have a high desire for competition. This drive may or may not be something we embrace. I'm a competitive person who embraces it. As a sales person I loved challenging myself using other people's records as benchmarks. I would constantly challenge myself to double or triple what the other sales people around me were doing.

Watch any show on Animal Planet and you'll see how competition escalates as resources become limited. Animals (like humans) will compete for food, water, mates, territory, status. Humans further compete for money, oil, parking spots. Our economy is not based on trade or cooperation. It's based on the survival of the fittest. And once our long day of competing is over, we go home to watch other people compete--football, reality TV, game shows, beauty pageants. . . we can't get enough of competition.

In the case of my observation at the gym, it shows how competing can be incentive for self improvement. If I work out harder, show them what I'm made of, ride that bike to nowhere faster than they can, then I am only doing myself good (unless I get fanatical about it and pedal myself into an injury). Now, a drinking competition. . . that, obviously, is another story.

As sales people, we can utilize this drive most effectively as we sell our products or services to our affluent prospects and clients. Just look at how gas stations compete. Say they're right across the street from each other and one is a nickel less than the other. Well, some people would automatically go to the cheaper one. But what if that station had a reputation for not having high quality product? I'm obviously not suggesting that you lower your prices, but notice the frame I just presented. Cheapness equals poor quality. How about trying this, 'I'm not the cheapest in town and, in fact, may be quite expensive, but you really do get what you pay for.'

What is your relation to competition? Do you embrace it or shy away from it?

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Kenrick Cleveland teaches strategies to earn the business of wealthy clients using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion strategies.