The Dark Side of Competition: Why the Race to the Top Might Be Bringing You Down

Though striving for excellence can be good, the stress of constantly beating someone else out can have an ill effect on mental health. The fear of falling behind causes pressure that produces continuous stress and makes it difficult to feel positively about the path to improvement.

Instead of leading to a feeling of accomplishment, ongoing competition leads to self-doubt, perfectionism, and a loop of not being good enough. Success is the sole metric in regards to outperforming others; personal fulfilment is rarely forthcoming, and individuals end up exhausted rather than feeling accomplished.

The biggest trap of competition is the desire to compare. The moment we set someone else's success as our standard, we invite self-imposed pressure. "Sarah got promoted? I need to work harder!" "Mike finished his marathon under four hours? I need to train harder!" Instead of focusing on our improvement, we end up fixating on outpacing others, losing our own well-being in the process.

And then there is burnout. In academics, in sports, and in the corporate world, the constant drive to succeed can exhaust the body and mind. The stress of staying ahead can blind us to when we need to stop and take a break. And ignoring them can have serious effects on our mental well-being in the long run.

Further, competition can personalise failure. Not getting the job, failing in a competition, or being unable to meet big expectations can leave emotional scars. Failure becomes more than just the result of things going wrong if one's worthiness is entwined with success. Loss is then an identity failure as much as an external setback.

Additionally, competition can hurt people. When we see others as competitors instead of partners, we can generate pointless tension. It can hurt workplace relationships and friendships when competitiveness defeats cooperation and people helping each other.

So how do we compete in a positive way? Balance is the key. A little competition can be motivating, but when it starts to wear on the mind, it's a good idea to back off. Focusing on personal betterment rather than the approval of others can make for a more viable and fulfilling path to success. Competing with ourselves rather than others makes progress possible without too much worry.

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