One View of Competition

Whether you are a Student, Athlete, Coach, Pastor, Teacher, Business Person or any other profession you will come across many situations where you have to compete.  You will be faced with a challenge, a game, a proposal.  Some type of situation where you will have to compete.  It could be a test, a game, a meeting, a church service, a presentation, a sales pitch, whatever.  You will be in competition.  Let's look at one paradigm (way of viewing things) that relates to competition.  I will be posting "An alternative view of competition) later on.  Here is the first way of viewing competition:

Zero Sum/Winner-Loser/Finite/Winner Take All View of Competition

-You are going through life learning, growing, training.  Then you meet an opponent (Test, Game, Presentation, Meeting, Confrontation with your kids or students whatever it is that you face in your daily life).  At the end of the meeting with your opponent one person emerges victorious. This could be a big sale, a win in a game, a sale, a high score on an exam.  When we win we feel superior, when we lose we feel inferior.  Winners feel strong, losers feel weak.

In this paradigm some of the following things happen:

-We view our opponent as someone who must be beaten
-We view competition fearfully.  After all it is a chance to lose/fail.
-We do whatever it takes to win (Usually within the rules, but sometimes we fudge it a little because winning is so important)
-Our focus is put on Winning and Losing
-We don't care how we perform or play or how our opponent performs as long as we win
-A weak opponent is cherished because we don't have to expend as much energy to win
-Our preparation only focuses on beating this particular opponent
-We work and prepare hard enough to win.
-Being the best is determined by wins/losses.  Someone with many wins is far superior to someone with less wins.
-This paradigm is all about the destination - The next win.
-We view opponents as barriers to our success.  Something to be overcome.
-Being THE Best is our main focus.
-We typically use our resources and people to build our program.  We use our people to strengthen our position.  People are useful if they help us succeed, useless if they can't help us win.

Typical Goals of People who use this Paradigm:

-Win at all costs
-Win the Championship/Make the Big Sale/Be Better than everyone else
-Be on Top of your profession
-Earn visible reminders of your success - Trophies, nice car/house
-BE THE BEST
-Beat our Opponent


Prime Example of This Paradigm:

Vince Lombardi (Legendary Coach of the Green Bay Packers).  One of his famous quotes is "Winning isn't the main thing, It's the Only Thing."

Numerous other coaches at all levels of sports aspire to this type of mindset.  Most "successful" business people and leaders of large companies are also steeped in this paradigm.  My guess is that as you read this you could think of numerous coaches, leaders and bosses that you have had in the past who operate from this mindset.


**** Later I will post an Alternative view of Competition.  I am by no means pushing this mindset, just trying to shine light on the view that many people in life hold.  I am also not trying to disparage this mindset.

Check back later for the "Alternative View" to see which paradigm you currently operate from and how you would like to operate in the future.