Is Competition helpful or unhelpful? It can be either or both.
Competition can be helpful by bringing the best out of us. It pushes us to be the best we can be.
We should welcome competition with others who are better than us.
When someone excels it also demonstrates the level of excellence that **can be achieved in a given activity. It raises the bar and sets a higher standard, inspiring us to do better. It brings the best out of us and gives us an **example to strive for.
When we approach competition in this way, it isn't devastating when we lose. (If it is, this is a clue our identity and sense of value is too tied to our beating the other person). We may be disappointed we didn't do better but only because we know we can and didn't.
Competition that is unhelpful is rooted completely in performance for the sake of praise/approval of others. In this scenario, my sense of value is tied directly to doing better than the next person. If I do, I feel worth something and if I don't, I do not. In a word, if I don't win/produce/perform, I am a "loser."
Competition is so much a part of America's psyche (more so with older generations, who didn't get "participation" trophies) and value system, we often are not even aware of it. Just think of how *many folks are glued to their TV on the weekends watching a sports event or game of one kind or another.
Yet, basing our value on beating the competition is the exact opposite of the Gospel. In Christ, our acceptance/approval/value is based on who we are and not what we do.
And who are we? We are the beloved children of the all loving, all powerful, always present, all wise and all-glorious Creator, the most valuable person in the universe.
And who are we? We are the beloved children of the all loving, all powerful, always present, all wise and all-glorious Creator, the most valuable person in the universe.
If we are infinitely valued by the Infinitely Valuable, what does that say about us, our value? And if God, the infinitely valuable, cherishes us, how much does it matter what others say or think? If your happiness rises and falls on the approval and praise of others, you may need to reassess your understanding of God's love for you.
When is competition helpful?
When is competition helpful?
Should we live productively with excellence? Yes, because God is most valuable (most high/excellent) and how we conduct ourselves either honors or dishonors him. By living excellently out of a desire to honor him (because he first loved/honored us) we put on display Gods great worth/honor. We do not compete to gain the praise, love and approval of others by being "better" than someone else, but because we already are important, valued, loved and approved by God.
Competition can be helpful by bringing the best out of us. It pushes us to be the best we can be.
We should welcome competition with others who are better than us.
When someone excels it also demonstrates the level of excellence that **can be achieved in a given activity. It raises the bar and sets a higher standard, inspiring us to do better. It brings the best out of us and gives us an **example to strive for.
When we approach competition in this way, it isn't devastating when we lose. (If it is, this is a clue our identity and sense of value is too tied to our beating the other person). We may be disappointed we didn't do better but only because we know we can and didn't.
How is this different from typical competition? It is not a matter of being better than someone else but of being inspired to be the best "me" we can be.
When competition challenges us to become better, this is good and useful. We should welcome and even seek it.
For more on living with excellence click here.
For more on the necessity of great effort click here.
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*Why is watching sports so popular? Not only because we like proving our value by beating the other guy or gal, but we draw our sense of identity by our team being better than the other team. If we don't have the time or are not good enough to play ourselves, we do the next best thing, we cheer for "our team" and feel important when our team wins and like a "loser" when they don't. Some folks identity is so tied up in a sports team they even get depressed or angry when their team doesn't win.
**You may recall for years several attempted to break a sub 4-minute mile. Eventually, Roger Bannister did it. Soon after many others followed suit.
When competition challenges us to become better, this is good and useful. We should welcome and even seek it.
For more on living with excellence click here.
For more on the necessity of great effort click here.
_______________________________________________________
*Why is watching sports so popular? Not only because we like proving our value by beating the other guy or gal, but we draw our sense of identity by our team being better than the other team. If we don't have the time or are not good enough to play ourselves, we do the next best thing, we cheer for "our team" and feel important when our team wins and like a "loser" when they don't. Some folks identity is so tied up in a sports team they even get depressed or angry when their team doesn't win.
**You may recall for years several attempted to break a sub 4-minute mile. Eventually, Roger Bannister did it. Soon after many others followed suit.
