The best way to eliminate the competition is not to have any

Competition is in our biology. Apparently, it’s an essential feature of the nature of being human.

Economists, mathematicians and especially sports drinks manufacturers have been preaching this for years. Competing is precisely what allows each of us to bring out the best in each other.

Which is fine. No arguments there.

The danger, though, is when we start to preoccupy ourselves with the drama of winning and losing. When we start deriving much of our psychic satisfactions from beating others. We may think we are being heroic, but at the end of the day, there is nothing brave about competing to the point of sabotage, obsession, injury, exhaustion, distraction, bankruptcy or whatever other collateral damage may occur.

Consider it from the entrepreneurial angle. The moment we make anything, we compete with everything. Which means worrying about it accomplishes nothing.

And so, why spend a lot of time looking over our shoulder? Who cares what the competition is doing?

Let’s focus on actually innovating, instead of building a time machine. Let’s focus on blazing the path ahead, not the critters nipping at our heels.

Success isn’t about winning anyway. It’s about the privilege of staying in the game and doing more work.

Keep adding energy to the system, keep moving the story forward.

Are you poisoning your own well by limiting your vision to serve petty competitiveness?