Why Competition Is Beautiful, Useful, and Beneficial
I love writing about competition! In its purest form, it is beautiful, useful, and beneficial. I explain below:
Through team cohesion, focused thought, and attention to skill, middle schoolers (could be any middle schoolers anywhere) achieved permission to complete at the State Science Olympiad Competition in April 2023. From the regional experience, they stretched themselves, believed in themselves, worked together, and won. They also expanded together. Expansion is the point of all competition.
So…what do you think these students and coaches are doing now? You guessed it. They are planning for more expansion! Each of them is saying, “If we did that, what else can we do? What can we experience next at the state level?”
Competition by itself is positive. It promotes the idea of opportunity. It emanates creation possibilities. It allows one’s mind to consider never-thought-of-before thoughts.
For example, if a college class creates a robot specific for Alzheimer patients, and they receive multiple awards and accolades for this creation plus large sums of money for the college, what happens next? Not only can these college students post such an achievement on their resumes, but they say, If we did that, what else can we do?”
In addition, this particular college’s rivalry just down the road two hours, says to itself, “If they did that, what can we do?” Within a short amount of time, funding becomes available, professors organize groups of students, a robotics lab is updated, and creation of an even better robot specific for Alzheimer patients begins. Ahhhh…perfect competition.
Who benefits?
All will benefit as long as the competition remains in its purest form: expansion. The following quote is often associated with Mother Teresa: “I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.” As long as competition is observed and conducted in a “pro” fashion, it is a wonderful aspect of our Earthly living.
When competition becomes US vs. THEM with them being dishonored, demeaned, or damaged in some way, competition loses its helpfulness to society. Pep rallies that focus on humiliating the other team hurts both teams. Where is the team’s focus with so much effort being put into yelling negative chants about the opposition? It’s not on team cohesion, focused thought, and attention to skill. The focused thought is now fractured.
Competition of any type can be observed through a “We are going to annihilate them,” mentality or a, “We are going to give our best,” mentality. Personally, I believe it is time for all of us to embrace a new standard of competition and to observe sports, such as in football, as a thrilling opportunity to witness what expansion the players have been able to achieve since the last game – a display of humans demonstrating their best.
At any children’s competition event, what do you see? I see miles and miles of road traveled as parents take kids to practices. I see many dollars exchanged for sports equipment. I see parents waiting hours for practice’s end so they can grab something for dinner. I see parental dedication to providing their offspring the opportunity to develop their full potential with the aid of positive competition.
What do you see?