(This is an archive story, please refer to byline for author name)
By Emily Enriquez
Everyone is surrounded by some sort of competition, in school, sports and work. But what are the effects it can have on individuals?
Healthy competitiveness can create a more motivated, hard working and productive person. They strive to be better, since they have that competitive mindset, their goal is to just win at everything they do.
“Competing makes you reach your full potential, it tests what you are fully capable of as a person,” Volleyball Coach Lauren Camacho said.
In the sports criteria of competing, it is a necessity to be competitive, the goal is to win every single game you play.
“I think competitions are positive, because oftentimes it helps people to feel like they are being a part of something that is much bigger than themselves. In a team setting, they are also working with a diverse group of people to achieve a common goal,” Football coach Kegan Howard said.
Besides the winning aspect, competitions also bring in lots of new experiences and make individuals grow as a whole.
“My favorite part about competing in a band is getting to experience the competitions, as well as meeting those who I'm competing against,” Junior Drummer Paul Quinones said.
At the end of a competition even if the end prize is not being first place, that loss can impact individuals in the best way possible.
“Although it sucks not winning, I can always look back and see what I can do better in the next competitions to make myself the best version and to help the team get that win,” Quinones said.
It is hard to not get in a toxic mindset when competing. Losses are hard, but it should not identify who you are as a person or your value as an individual in that competition.
“As competitors, we need to be mindful that our self-worth should not be found in wins and losses, but rather our ability to give the very best of ourselves for ourselves and for others each and every day.” Winning is simply a byproduct of us being the best version of ourselves on a daily basis,” Howard said.