Free Write: Competitiveness

Today’s post is based on a writing prompt I shared in a previous Daily Drafts & Dialogues post. Keep reading to see what I wrote, and to access more writing prompts.

What I wrote below is based on the following writing prompt: Set a timer for five minutes. Once you start the timer, start free writing about what comes to your mind when you think about competitiveness. Don't stop writing until the timer goes off. Repeat this writing exercise as many times as needed for future weeks.

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To me, competitiveness can be more futile than fruitful, especially in the twenty-first century, more often than not creating enemies where there were none. I know that’s not a popular opinion and that most people will fight me tooth and nail on that point. They’ll say competitiveness brought prosperity to nations, long-term life-changing innovations. That competitiveness is what truly keeps human progress alive. But mostly, I believe that’s a loud commercial, a regurgitated, bought and sold lie. 

Typically, the whole purpose of competing against another person is presented as an opportunity to establish some sort of dominance over them. But why? To what end? To fulfill one’s own ego? To stand on a pedestal of one’s own creation that will be inevitably knocked down by someone else over time anyway?

If you aren’t primarily competing with yourself, to do better than you did yesterday, to do more than you did yesterday, for yourself or others and not against either, what’s the point? It seems petty and juvenile otherwise. Perhaps even a waste of time. You’ll never remain the ‘best’ at anything forever. And, so what? There’s more freedom, more joy, more knowledge, more creativity, more productivity in accepting that. Because what truly sustains the human spirit long-term, keeps it at its peak, is making lasting connections propelled forward by genuine immersion and curiosity.

The most productive inventors would invent anyway, to answer important questions and meet real human needs. Professional sportsmen and sportswomen would still want to feel self-satisfied that they did their best, pushed themselves to their limits, honored their sport with grace and dignity. And those who labor to earn, would truly earn what they acquire, not getting ahead with tricks and unfair advantages. Because are you truly the frontrunner, a ‘winner,’ if you cheat? If everyone isn’t playing by the same rules?

Bottom line, the only time competitiveness matters, that brings about any long-lasting worth or good to the world, is when we compete against ourselves, when we each individually strive to be better than we were yesterday, when we each continue to learn and grow as individuals. Seeing what others are capable of when they’re doing this too, when they’re continuously learning and growing and doing, can and should be motivating and helpful, of course. But we’re all ultimately better off when we’re all doing our best and being the best versions of ourselves at the same time and supporting one another in that. And temporary self-aggrandizing dominance won’t ever do much for anyone for long. 

I ran out of time today, but I’ll likely continue to add to this draft in the future, to fine-tune my thoughts and feelings on competitiveness. 

Did you complete this prompt? If so, share what you came up with in a comment or chat thread below so that we can discuss it.

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Today’s Writing Prompt