Rivalry and competition are found in many aspects of life including sports, the workplace, and school. Is a sense of rivalry and competition a self-motivator an innate quality or is it something that can be learned or produced artificially? How do you stay confident even after failure? Being able to identify when your own self-motivation is declining is a key to staying motivated. Learn the ways in which you can motivate people through compliments and support. Self-motivation and support are qualities of strong leadership.