This week’s short "Note to Self" to keep your thinking on track…
Do you remember studying what competition really means? Athletes and performers of any kind are rarely formally taught about the concept of competition.
Competitions are a natural part of life, and whether we choose it or not, we are challenged by the presence of competition even if we dislike it.
It's easy to spot competition in obvious places like sport. However, competition also emerges in any situation where comparisons and judgements are being made. A job interview, an idea in a meeting, a point of view in a discussion, a test in class, or even an evaluation of organisational performance—all are breeding grounds for competition.
The constant presence of competition can be extremely valuable if we understand its truest essence. Moreover, recognising what competition is supposed to be can help us navigate towards competitive challenges that will help us develop our skills and improve our performances.
Some psychologists (1) argue that competition in its truest form occurs when you view yourself and your opponent as working in partnership. It's perhaps a fierce and highly contested partnership, but each competitor can be seen as the mentor, instructor and challenger of the other.
Understanding what "true competition" means might be a good first step in getting the most out of all the inevitable competitive situations you might encounter in life.
Think about it...
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I have been interested in this topic for a while and first came across it in Shields and Bredemeier's 2009 book called "True Competition, A guide to pursuing excellence in sport and society". I'm interested in how competition "goes wrong" or "gets in the way" of the pursuit of excellence, in sport and perhaps more so in society.
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