by Cheryl Burger

Created on: September 08, 2009

The term adolescence is the first stage of becoming and adult. Once an adolescent reaches adulthood they will not be able to get a chance for a "do over", so they better learn the skills of competition. Competition has been a key motivator since the beginning of time. And to just prove this little theory, think about the cavemen, and how they'd fought for a bigger piece of the hunt, or the woman that he really wanted. Is this not competition?

In high-school, there are debate teams and athletics and many others like cheer-leading we all know about that insist on competition as a key to be the best. To be in the winning circle, this allows an adolescent to see how much they can do, and competition is the way we all learn to be the best. If not for competition then how blah the world would seem? Just watch the Stocks and how much they compete to get the best price for the best stock, or a polo pony move under the direction of his rider and his cues. Think of the all American pastime, baseball, now there would be no ballgame if there was just one team getting up there and everyone applauding in place of cheering a home run, as we watch the batter running into home and bring in two other hitters with him! The global market would cease to try new levels of products, if they didn't think it was a form of competition. The world thrives on it, and it is contagious, and allows us to have fun watching, participating or merely being an onlooker, competition gets the blood going and keeps the brain in tune.

Think of the hand held phones most of us carry, and how fast it is and what extras they have, and who can connect the fastest. This is competition, and no matter where you look, it is out there.A heart doctor strives to be the best cardiologist, and a cancer doctor to eradicate the disease making him known, and all for the love of prestige under the guise and talents of competition.

If you just want to be a Lemming, then go count toothpicks. But, if you want to make a difference allow your children, yourself or anyone for that matter, to compete to make the difference. Had we all just had an attitude that this is good enough, then others would take that attitude and shove it down our throats, however, we as humans all want to be the best, or in first place and no matter how humble. Even winning a pie contest at a fair is competition, and it probably would allow you a taste of the best pie in the county with all of the bragging rites too.

Competition is harmful, only when people take it beyond a level of good conscience, and then it ruins the very idea of what the mere basis of what competition is designed to do. And that is to be the best, do your best, and become known for your drive and aspirations. Under these traits, competition is gainfully promising and should be encouraged, instilling a winning spirit and a winning place too.

So, I feel strongly that a good sense of competition is healthy and harms no one. In fact, more people should try it out.

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