"If you compare and compete, you'll live in defeat." You would think after four decades in exciting, full-time youth ministry that I wouldn't deal with those mind games any more. But in all honesty, I think we all struggle with painful comparison and competition occasionally in our lives. After all, we live in America where only "gold medal winners" are trumpeted. Unfortunately, part of the "comparison and competition game" spills over into even the youth ministry trenches.

Since Dr. Phil isn't anywhere around, let me share some of the ways I've dealt with this "dreaded duo" in my own life and youth ministry in this month's Youth Leader's Coach, "Compare and Compete: Youth Ministry's Dreaded Duo." I'm sharing with you four things that help combat the two-headed dragon of comparison and competition.

Running for an Audience of One,