Competition Is NOT a Four Letter Word

Over the past few years, I've heard many people say things like, "I don't like the word competitors; there's enough business for everyone."

At first, I thought, okay, I get that. For a time, it felt like a good mindset to have—although deep down, it felt off. And now I know why.

We need competition.

Competition makes us better. It pushes us to go further, do more, and be better.

When you run, you go faster when there are others on the track with you. When you play soccer with players better than you, you get better because they push you to be better.

Watching My Kids Helped Me Get Clear on This

Last week my oldest son decided he was going to "win" the walk-a-thon at school. He won nothing but bragging rights—but he won.

Running over 7km on a hot day, with the second half uphill, he did it because he wanted to, he set the challenge. He was SO proud of himself and is considering joining the track team.

My younger son plays soccer and his team was not great. They lost almost every game, and it was hard on them (and us parents watching). The last game they played, they won. You could see the shift in them as they scored each goal. All the parents cheered harder than ever. (My throat was hoarse from shouting and my face hurt from smiling.)

The feeling of a comeback after so many losses was rewarding and was the motivator they all needed to keep playing and improving.

These external sources become internal motivators.

The Danger of Participation Trophies

This idea of "there are no winners and losers, everyone gets a ribbon for participation" is having a deep impact on the value of competition. If you never lose, what's the motivation to try to win?

The reality is, there is competition in every aspect of life. From making the team, to getting the girl/boy, to landing the job.

When I first hired Maria eight years ago, I had over 150 resumes come in within 24 hours. So many that I had to pull the listing. Her resume and portfolio stood out among the others, and then her interview and our connection solidified things. 149 people did not get the job.

Business Needs Competition

In business, there are so many reasons why we need competition, even if you don't like to think about it. It can be hard to look at competitors' websites and compare yourself.

However, the best way to know how to distinguish yourself from them is to know what they are up to. It's not about copying them. It's about understanding what they are doing right, what they are doing wrong, and what you can do better and differently.

Competition is not about knocking others down. It's about what it does to help you improve yourself and the opportunities it brings.

Competition leads to innovation. Think about the big phone companies who have a monopoly on the market. In Canada, we pay one of the highest fees in the world for our cell service because there is very little competition. There is nothing driving the price down.

Employees want to work for the winning team – It helps them feel secure and to do great work.

Would we watch sports if there were no winners and losers? Would there be world champions, Olympic athletes, new records, raving fans? No. We love sports BECAUSE of the competition.

We revel in the wins and drown our sorrows in the losses. It's part of the game. The losses inspire players and teams to get better so they can come back and win the next time. AND we love these stories.

Competition Helps You Level Up

Years ago, I found out that I lost out on a project with a client. They decided to go with Donald Miller from StoryBrand. I was devastated and disappointed—he is such a big name in the branding world, how could I compete against that?

Then a friend of mine said, "Wait, you lost out on a project to Donald Miller? That's awesome!" I was confused at first, but then she said, "That means you are competing at the same level as him. That's something to celebrate."

What a reframe. And she was totally right. Yes, it was a boost to my ego (which we all need and don't tell me that you don't), and it drove me to continue to push myself forward.

Embrace Competition

So, there it is. We need competition. It drives us to be better, to innovate, and to push the boundaries of what we can achieve. It's not a bad word—it's a necessary part of business and life. Embrace it, learn from it, and use it to fuel your growth.

What are your thoughts on competition? Have you found it to be a motivator in your life and business? Share your experiences in the comments below.