23 Mar Competition versus Cooperation: It’s all a Matter of Perspective

Competition is something that abounds in all aspects of life.  Whether it’s an athletic event, or a job interview, or a competitor in your industry, people and teams are constantly measured against another.

Instead of looking at a competitive situation as a win/lose scenario, look at it as a teaching environment with an opportunity to improve yourself.

Things to ask yourself in a competitive situation:

• What can I learn from the other person/team/business?
• (if ‘winning’)  Why am I winning?  Is it my skill, my luck, my connections?  What is my ‘competitive advantage’?
• Why is the other losing? Where was their mis-step? How can I learn from them, so I don’t make the same mistake?
• How can I help the other see where they may be in error, so I can help them at the same time?
• (if losing) Why is the other winning?  Can I make adjustments right now to nullify their ‘competitive advantage’?
• What can I learn from the other?  What can I imitate?
• How can we make the outcome better for both sides?

In our lives, at some time, we are all ‘winners’ and ‘losers’.  The important thing is maintaining perspective to learn while both winning and losing.  It’s the learning, readjusting, and persevering that make us all winners in the end.