EPTThe precursor that gives rise to competition is our peers, or other people. We see in other people the materials and gifts that we covet for ourselves and become naturally envious. Without competition, perhaps I would be content as a country boy living on a farm, spending my days working just enough to enable my subsistence. But being aware of the life of luxury that are enjoyed by others around the world, I become jealous and strive for more.
Up until now, in most everything I have deemed important to my life, I have had respectable success. Since academic achievement has such a huge influence on our career opportunities, most people place it as their top priority. I went to school, by pure chance, in a very competitive environment. It was a public school, and the teachers and students were of very high quality. I will not justify this claim, even though I could, as I prefer you just take my word for it. I was not the top of the class, but I was certainly top tier. Considering my little time spent on work and studying, I relished my exceptional ranking. I almost pitied those who could not achieve the same level of adeptness. It felt like they would never be able to catch up to my greatness.
I can remember one incidence that particularly stands out in my mind. My teacher in the elementary school had recognized my talent. One day I submitted a writing assignment for evaluation. Later, after he had marked them, he called me up to his desk and told me that my submission was merely average. “This piece is OK, but not exceptional. It’s good, but it doesn’t really stand above the crowd. Are you willing to settle with that?” he said. “I know you can do better.” This teacher may seem somewhat favouritist with unusual disrespect for his worser students, but he was one of the best teachers I have ever had. At that time, I was just a little kid. Teachers respected my abilities, but I was no a stranger to the intermittent non-stellar marks I might receive sometimes. Yet this was the first time anyone called me out for it, so bluntly and directly, I was caught off guard. This didn’t really instill a drastic change in my drive for perfection, but I thought it a story worth sharing.
The other important competition in elementary school was athletics. I excelled in this as well, of course. Though not the very top athlete in my grade, I was certainly again top tier. That distinction would probably belong to my very best friend at the time. I loved sports and could dominate in most any competition. Once again I cherished my gifts and knew that others were not so lucky and could only aspire to reach the heights I sat at.
Further along the road to growing up, academic competition increases. People became obstacles to my path of success. It’s not just that the pool of competitors increases as we move on to college, but that stakes are much higher. I was still top tier but this was no longer very relevant. Too much of my destiny was left up to chance. Per Trevelyan: “Half of everything is luck.” “And the other half?” “Fate.” It no longer mattered I surpassed my peers in skill when their road to success was based more than just merit.
The spots and opportunities for success narrow out at the top. I dislike people around if only for the very fact that we strive for the same goals which are in limited supply. One’s loss is another person’s gain. The most painful part is when a person is rewarded an opportunity at the expense of shutting me out, when I am totally confident that I was a better candidate and could do the job several times better. The mentality is: get out of my way, I can do it better.
I know I sound like an immature spoiled brat whining about not getting what I want. But I do not wish to leave that impression. I hastily acknowledge there are thousands of geniuses out there that make me look like an idiot. I have the greatest respect for these individuals and bow to their talent. However, I am sure we can all relate to the frustration when the undeserving steal the ends you covet and deserve so much more than they do.
