Competition is rooted in comparison. When you look at the world, you are instinctively aware of other people's performance. Their performance is the ultimate yardstick. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how worthy your intentions, if you reached your goal but did not outperform your peers, the achievement feels hollow. Like all competitors, you need other people. You need to compare. If you can compare, you can compete, and if you can compete, you can win. And when you win, there is no feeling quite like it. You like measurement because it facilitates comparisons. You like other competitors because they invigorate you. You like contests because they must produce a winner. You particularly like contests where you know you have the inside track to be the winner. Although you are gracious to your fellow competitors and even stoic in defeat, you don't compete for the fun of competing. You compete to win. Over time you will come to avoid contests where winning seems unlikely.
This is right on the mark. My happiness is boosted by victory -- convincing victory. It's why I play four sports in the summer, invest hours in winning fantasy sports leagues, and have won over 200 straight Madden football games. It's why I'm exploring a calling to basketball coaching as a way to maximize my strengths. And on the flip side, it's why I avoid competitive situations in marriage. In many places competition is destructive, and a relationship is the place for teamwork... win-win and not win-lose. Competition is a fact of life, and I strongly believe in the lessons of succeeding and failing with grace that come from it. The key is to channel it into the right corners. Country Joe, do you hear me?
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