Surviving in a World of Competition

There are times when we feel like we could collapse out of frustration with the truly unimportant competitions in our lives that have come to matter so much. What kind of car you drive, what type of ipod you have, and your brand of clothing have become very important, and for frivolous reasons. Comparing yourself to others and wanting to deem yourself as better than them is the root of competition. If you have a friend who is constantly competing with you, or you want to control your competitive spirit here are a few suggestions:

1. Realize that what you have does not define who you are. Although it is tempting to try and get up in your friend group by purchasing the latest and greatest, you’ll only end up losing and hurting friendships. Friendships shouldn’t be based on competition, they’re based on the inside of a person, and nothing you can buy can do anything to make your friends like you better- at least not permanently. The friendships based on one upping each other aren’t true friendships, and once one friend realizes the childness of the competition, they can go back to focusing on the real thing- the relationship.
2. It takes two to compete. Even if the whole neighborhood is engaged in an endless competition, it never includes you without your tacit approval. Once you stop buying and showing off, and continuing the cycle, others will most likely clue in and stop too. It can be tough at first, for a while you may seem down, and people may question your financial situation, but material things don’t always mean there is or isn’t money in the bank, as your friends will soon realize.
3. Remember that competition may be appealing, but it isn’t worth your time. Once you’ve stepped away from your meaningless competition, don’t go back to it! Try and remember why you wanted to leave it in the first place. Always keep in mind that your value isn’t signified by your possessions, especially on your trips to the mall! Once you’ve left your competition, try to put your energy toward more important and practical things, and try to rediscover the friendship that may have been hurt in the process.