# Competition

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competition/315527>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 4, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competition/315527 "2005-08-04T05:05:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![MadderMitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e7dd6/32.png) [@MadderMitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadderMitch)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competition/315527/41 "2005-08-06T20:40:49Z")

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> [@Beware of Doug](#):
>
> :rolleyes: OK, OK, so I read a little too much in right there.
> 
> I’d still be curious to know whether or not you see interpersonal competition as somehow a higher calling than self-improvement.

_Higher calling???_  
I don’t consider being competitive a “calling” of any kind.

When competing, you’ll either enjoy it, or you won’t. Yes there _is_ a certain thrill about going all the way to the edge against a TRUE rival - but (for me at least) I’d hardly call it a religious experience.  
I personally learn a lot more from challenging myself and improving my own personal best performance.  
But for COMPETITION (as expressed in the OP) IMO there’s really only one way of doing it. But I can’t say it gives anything back to the same extent that conquering internal aspects of myself does.

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