| I am competing right now, I am writing an article | | | | competition for that pound or dollar in India will |
| about competing in order for me to be noticed. | | | | probably not be to pay for a luxury item, so they |
| We compete nearly all of the time; competition is | | | | must compete we might not like it but we should |
| good for us, without it we would not evolve, we | | | | understand it. |
| could not better ourselves, sporting records could | | | | Like many people I have witnessed natural |
| not be broken and products would not be | | | | disasters from the comfort of my living room, I |
| enhanced. Competition makes life better; surely it | | | | have donated to the appeal funds, fortunately I |
| must do, it is our human nature to compete. | | | | have never been caught in an earthquake, |
| At work, if we want to get on we need to | | | | tsunami or typhoon, I've never had to experience |
| compete, to put ourselves forward, get that | | | | famine or disease first hand, but I do take my |
| promotion and move up the ladder, for some it | | | | hat off to the aid agencies that selflessly strive in |
| does not matter who we tread on, dog eats dog | | | | disaster zones to feed and care for all humanity, |
| and that is the way of the world, right? | | | | in some areas it becomes so difficult that |
| In business small companies compete, jockeying | | | | survivors compete with each other for the bare |
| for position, trying to get themselves noticed, | | | | essentials to live, we find that competition |
| undercutting where possible to give the best price | | | | disturbing to watch, so perhaps we should act |
| for that new conservatory or landscaping job. Big | | | | quicker and plan more for the future. |
| companies compete as well, they keep a check | | | | Competition is never as obviously intense as it is |
| on their competitors, discuss strategies to win | | | | in sport. Sport is about winning is it not? Beating |
| contracts, always trying to go that extra mile and | | | | the opposition, coming first, there is nothing wrong |
| yes, undercutting their prices to win the contract. | | | | with competition in sport, it drives us forward it |
| That is healthy competition, which is what we | | | | makes us better and we often pay to watch |
| want as the consumer, giving us our value for our | | | | such competition. But again, there is a fine line to |
| money, or is it? What then when they cross the | | | | be drawn that shouldn't be crossed, when |
| line, an imaginary line, but a very real line where | | | | competition becomes obsession and we no longer |
| they cannot fulfil the obligation and corners are | | | | respect our opposition but come to despise them. |
| then cut. Who has caused the competition, who is | | | | Such obsession can lead to violence and cheating. |
| the greedy party, the consumer or the provider? | | | | Fortunately most of us play sport to compete |
| I recently flew to India. When my wife and I | | | | and enjoy, uneed2getoutmore, lists sports and |
| landed we collected our luggage, eventually | | | | activities to show they do not have to be |
| negotiated the arrival checks and we were then | | | | competitive; they can also be fun and varied. |
| greeted by a horde of baggage porters, | | | | So how competitive will you be today? Will it be a |
| desperately trying to grab a case and move it a | | | | fair price? Will you be helping the poor? Will you |
| few yards to a waiting coach or taxi, for many | | | | be planning for the future? Will you obsess in your |
| new arrivals to India it was an almost frightening | | | | game? |
| experience with some getting very agitated | | | | Most of us like to think our competition is |
| indeed. India is not the only place I have | | | | harmless and most of the time it is, but let us not |
| witnessed competition for baggage at an airport | | | | cross that line, let us think before we get too |
| but it is probably the most desperate, the | | | | competitive. |