Sunday, September 5, 2021

Innatecompetition

Healthy competitions enable us to overcome struggling, move steadfastly from surviving to striving to thriving, based on authenticity, talent and strength.


Competition has different connotations and meanings under different situations or context. Competition is part of the natural dynamics of life and societal evolution. 

Good competition pushes us to grow, innovate, and mature; bad competition causes confusion, frustration, and downgrades humanity.





There would be no progress or innovation without healthy competition: Humans as intelligent and social beings, are developing, growing, competition and choice are part of that process. In primitive times, 'competition' in biology, meant the cutthroat struggle for life's essentials. It is part of the genetic bias of every living thing in nature as a survival-seeking mindset. In contemporary societies, competition is one of the human natures to make progress. But whether you become a competitive problem -solver or turn out to be a competitive problem-generator depends on the purpose and motivation behind it. Healthy competitions enable us to overcome struggling, move steadfastly from surviving to striving to thriving, based on authenticity, talent and strength.

Healthy competition is innovation-intensive and progress-driven. Without innovation, there would be no progress. If we have two or more ideas, we have competition because of those ideas. Without competition, there would be no premium choices and intellectual stimulation. Without innovation, there would be no transformative progress. Without progress, either individually or collectively, we get stagnated. Healthy competition inspires us to explore who we are, what makes us proud of ourselves and how to apply talent/competency to achieve a good purpose. The point is that competition shouldn’t mean we want to be the same. It means we want to be the best we can be and amplify influence.

Unprofessional competition causes serious problems and negative societal impact: It is the energy behind the competition that matters. Without a clear vision, competition is short-sighted; without a good intention and great purpose, competition becomes a severe social problem; without talent and capability, competition becomes a meaningless game. If you only focus on beating down others, without investing yourself in exploring your talent and interest, spending time and energy to sharpen your own skills or concentrating on building your own set of unique competencies, you contribute to an unhealthy culture, and become part of problems, to a certain degree. Competition without values is the start point of a downward cycle of professionalism.

The goals of competition can be bad and the competitive arena can produce a myriad of unwise mentality and negative externalities. “Win at all costs," “compete for everything,” are some arguable mantras that need to be updated for reflecting the creative, intelligent, and harmonized societies we are stepping into. Unhealthy competitions enhance extreme thinking, enlarges gaps, and cause multilevel frustrations, and stifle collective human progress. For example, unprofessional workplace competition can create unhealthy rivalries, perhaps creating undue stress that may actually prove to be counterproductive and become the very cause of employee disengagement and talent shortage.

It is time to step into the creative era of coopetition (cooperation + competition) and reach the next level of advancement: Isn’t nature a great example to learn the state of harmony? Look at the sky with all the stars and planets in equilibrium, on its own as well as from forces of the other. Look at the four seasons of changes with numerous creatures thriving. Look at the sunshine and moon light with yin and yang themes, etc. By observing nature deeply, it is obvious in mechanisms like evolution that competition and collaboration are both necessary parts of creating and dealing with the changing circumstances of our lives, in the world, and the universe. Nature is balanced, competitive, and harmonized.

Competition pushes us to move faster; cooperation pulls us in the same direction to achieve more; competition motivates us to scrutinize ourselves, others, practice situational leadership accordingly; cooperation inspires us to appreciate talent, embrace diversity, create synergy, and enhance inclusive leadership. In fact, there are competing forces of collaboration and competition that need to work together. Leverage is the key. Ultimately, competition or cooperation can be used for a greater purpose/cause to elevate oneself as well as society.

Are you competitive enough - as a problem solver or problem-creator? How healthy and professional of the competition is dependent on how qualified and wise the judges or assessors are. The only real competition is the competition with yourself. Try to increase your knowledge and to improve yourself every day. Ultimately, competition or cooperation can be used for a greater purpose/cause to elevate individuals as well as the entire society. Coopetition is the right approach to unlock collective human potentiality.

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