Maybe it’s a British thing. But not entirely. Some people feel that being competitive is to be pushy or arrogant, or somehow ‘not nice’. Or it’s for the status obsessed.
Thinking back, I can’t count how many times in my sessions helping people address personal and professional issues with hypnosis I’ve heard talented, hard-working people say things like: ‘I know I have great ideas, but it always seems to be other people who pick them up and run with them.’ or ‘I just sit on the sidelines, really. I just haven’t got that competitive gene.’
These people were seldom happy about this.
Competitive dad syndrome
I recall a comedy show that used to feature a ‘competitive dad’. This guy, on the face of it, was a brilliant dad. He would play cricket, run races, play tiddly-winks, you name it, very happily with his small sons. How many kids would give an arm and a leg for a dad who was always willing to play with them? But because he was also always competitive, he would put his whole being into beating these very young children at these games – and then gloat that he had won. This was funny to watch, and also painful. But it makes an important point. The ‘helplessly competitive’ will compete in the wrong places and potentially cause much grief. But think what a powerful force we would have at our disposal if we can ‘turn on’ supreme competitiveness where it really matters.
This hypnosis session
I produced this hypnosis session for hypnosisdownloads.com to inspire controlled competitive energy. I have studied the role strong competition has played in the development of medicine (something which plainly benefits all of us) and also in other sciences and the arts. It’s quite clear that we have many reasons to be grateful to the competitive spirits among us, driven to ‘be the best’.
And I strongly dispute that you cannot be both highly competitive and a decent human being. Although there are cultural norms (especially in Britain!) which hold that ‘nice people’ don’t push themselves ahead of others, the fact is you can be hugely ambitious, and with a strong competitive drive and still be a decent human being who works for the good of all.
In the hypnosis session ‘Be competitive’, I liken competitiveness to a hugely powerful motor that can drive you to succeed and create – and you are in charge of that motor. Hypnosis is such a powerful tool for strengthening attitudes and instilling diligence.
So I won’t mince my words. Be competitive – and stay decent.
Mark
