Winning In Life Is Not Synonymous With Competing

Winning in life does not mean climbing the podium or winning gold medals in the Olympics. Believe it or not, life is not a competition and it is not necessary to be number one at all times to be happy. It is not necessary to compare yourself with those around you or put yourself to the test to prove that you are on the same level. You can achieve authentic well-being by working hard and believing in yourself and what you do.

Adults like to inculcate the need to compete with children. “Those who have finished their homework can go out on the playground.” “Whoever gets the best grades wins a prize.” The truth is that there is always a need to be better than others in order to win a reward.

All individuals have a natural ability for effort and desire to achieve certain goals. But you have to work for what you want and give the best of yourself. The problem, however, is that many always feel the need to compete with others. In a way, they are trying to crush other people and have an advantage over them.

These situations are quite common, and sometimes they expose individuals to indefinite wear and tear. Let’s learn more about this topic.

To win in life is to conquer happiness

Many people live their lives by competing with everyone around them. They must have the best job, the best car, the prettiest Christmas tree and the most original birthday party. It is a popularity contest, as if the decisive feature of life was to be in a better position than the rest of the world.

However, there is something clear in all this. All those who see life through this filter will constantly experience one feeling: frustration. It is safe to say that they will never be able to feel completely satisfied. After all , there will always be someone better than you for something. In short, the need to compete and be better than others leads to meaningless suffering.

Winning in life should consist of conquering a healthy form of happiness. One that is about surpassing yourself, setting goals and testing yourself to achieve them. However, many people have spent decades using what ecologists define as the “competition exclusion principle.” In other words, constantly challenge each other so that only the best placed are above the rest.

Yet this is changing. In this increasingly cohesive and globalized world, new social dynamics and, above all, urgent needs are emerging. Now more than ever, it is a priority to structure a more cooperative and less competitive life to solve the many challenges that lie ahead.

Why are some people so keen on competing?

We have spent a lot of time using a competitive approach in many of our social settings. We do it because it was (and is) the only way to get a job, a place to live and attention / respect among a particular group. But some people are so competitive that they are not able to see things in a friendly way. What is the reason for this?

• This is often due to low self-esteem. For them, winning in life is being able to feel superior. As a result, they get an ego boost and reinforcements for their insecurities. On the other hand, they avoid getting involved in collaborative tasks, since it does not benefit them at all.
• Other times, these people are deeply focused on envy. They are almost obsessed with getting exactly what they have around them. They never celebrate the achievements of others.

Last but not least, it is important to keep in mind that many highly competitive people tend to have narcissistic tendencies. These people do not mind hurting others to come first. For them, “crushing” the opponent is perfectly fine and normal, as long as they win in the end.

Winning in life is about cooperation

If you want to win in life, challenge yourself. Do not want what others have. Remember that it is not necessary to step on other people to be relevant. In the long run, you will live your life for others instead of yourself. Seeing life as a continuous competition is synonymous with suffering.

On the other hand, if you compete with yourself, things will be different. If you set yourself as a reference and set goals and challenges, you will feel more motivated and the rewards will be a thousand times more satisfying. Little by little you learn that your own happiness is the most important thing.

In the same way, it is important to remember that it is time to create collaboration scenarios. In other words, it is important to begin to consider the views, ideas, and actions of others. Stop competing to create alliances, and instead be able to move forward and create a better future with others.