The Competitive Trap: How It Affects Our Well-Being
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Chapter 1: The Health App Dilemma
In 2014, Apple launched a groundbreaking product known as the Health App. This application is designed to monitor key health metrics, such as your heart rate, daily steps, and sleep quality. When paired with the Apple Watch, users can see their progress through three color-coded rings that track daily activities.
Image by Braden Collum on Unsplash
The blue ring measures how long you've been standing, the red ring indicates calories burned through movement, and the green ring tracks your exercise duration. The Apple Watch encourages you to complete these rings daily, creating a pressure to stay active from morning to night.
This can introduce a significant amount of stress. For instance, when you go for a run, the “Run App” will remind you of your previous day's mileage, pushing you to surpass your own limits—or those of your peers.
Consequently, you begin your day confronted with a list of unachieved goals, making it feel like you're racing against yesterday's performance. The joy of physical activity has been overshadowed by the incessant need to measure and compare, reducing life to mere figures.
Is this really what we call "living"?
The Competition Beyond Fitness
While the Health App serves as a prominent example, the drive for competition extends far beyond just physical activities. Consider how we often establish our “ideal salaries” based on the earnings of others. If everyone made $1,000 a month, you'd likely feel satisfied with $1,500. However, when you see individuals with better cars, larger homes, and seemingly better lives, the urge to compete arises, leading you to pursue what you may not genuinely want.
This pursuit is often influenced by images you encounter on social media or in films, leading you to desire a lifestyle that isn't truly yours. As a result, many of our aspirations are shaped not by personal choice, but by external influences.
This shift has caused us to lose appreciation for the journey itself. Our focus has pivoted to results, neglecting the very essence of living. We sacrifice our time and happiness in pursuit of being the best, yet we label this as a reasonable exchange.
Finding Your Own Path
The advice to “do what you love” is well-meaning but impractical for many who have bills to pay. Thus, it’s essential to start thinking independently. Begin to redefine your own aspirations, free from the expectations imposed by others.
If you're struggling to think for yourself, imagine you've just landed on a new planet. In this scenario, you must make all your choices devoid of outside influence. This exercise can help you reconnect with your own desires, alleviating the relentless competition that surrounds you.
When your decisions stem from your genuine interests, the satisfaction derived from those activities is profound. You're no longer fixated on outcomes dictated by societal standards, and the toxic competition dissipates.
For example, today, around 200 million students are enrolled in colleges worldwide, often feeling immense pressure to achieve top grades. Many of them are attending school not out of personal choice, but because of societal norms and peer pressure. They haven't critically assessed whether higher education is the best path for them; instead, they are merely following the crowd.
Consequently, they toil relentlessly for goals that may not even align with their true ambitions. This sense of competition can lead to a profound dislike for studying, as it becomes a mindless chore rather than a fulfilling pursuit. However, when you take the time to evaluate your options and make conscious choices, you can find joy in the process.
Working towards a goal that resonates with your authentic self can lead to a more fulfilling life experience. Conversely, dedicating your life to pursuits that were not your own can create a sense of despair and disillusionment.
That's all for today!
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Chapter 2: The Impact of Competition
The video titled "Is competition killing us? | RSA Replay" delves into the detrimental effects of constant competition on our well-being and personal growth.
Another insightful video, "Worlds Distance Competition Slow Motion Form," explores the dynamics of competition in sports and its broader implications on mental health and performance.