There are people who are competitive, and then there are people who are just plain addicted to competition. As of this week, I've finally realized that I am the latter.
I've been told throughout my life that I've been addicted to different things, from poker to horse racing to video games to trying to build my Steemit account, but I think it all comes down to competition.
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Whether it's a bounty program leaderboard for a cryptocurrency or the @SPL (Steem Poker League) Player of the Month standings ("Hoodish), something in me wants to reach the top of that list. Sure, there are small financial benefits, but it's not about the money, otherwise I would just focus on more profitable work.
In a few hours, I'll be joining a group of friends in town to play random board games that have no real significant or impact on my life, but I have a deep want and almost a need to win every single one. I do consider myself a graceful loser, but deep down inside something in me dies every time I bust out of a poker tournament or someone else yells our bingo before I can.
But is this a problem, or is this an advantage? I guess on the bright side, at least I know that I'm motivated by something, right? It's not that I lack ambition, it's that I have a hard time calming that ambition down.
You be the judge, is being addicted to competition good, or is it bad? Please comment below, and I'll try to respond with a better comment than you left (just kidding, kind of).
ok, i think it's good. I think YOU'RE good, specifically. Some people take it too far and like, can't ever stop with the side-bets and stuff ... ahem @reko ahem, but you seem pretty chill. Or is your blood pressure out of control??
Lol.
Mostly I like competing with you, so there's that!
xoxoxo
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side bet anyone?
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Lol, with the way you've been performing in the Sunday tourney the last two weeks, SURE! :-)
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oooooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooo!! trash talkin' in the COMMENTS, yo'!
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I couldn't resist. I think he's better than me so I'm pretty sure he can take it :-)
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Well that explains your occasional re-steem splurges as you find these competitions.
You should check out #newbiegames and @newbiegames for even more to enter and get competitive with.
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lol, sorry! I'll check them out.
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Don't apologise. I've got some good leads on contests and games from them myself.
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Thanks, that made me chuckle!
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If someone threatened something or someone you cared for, if you didn't stop the activity you are supposed to be addicted to, would you stop that activity? I would guess the answer is yes. Calling yourself addicted to something is a crutch. People like to think that they have a disease or an affliction that is out of their control, but in reality it is lack of emotional control. That being said, is physical addiction real? Sure. Just saying that it can be overcome with the right motivation and mental preparation.
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Yeah, and that's a really interesting point. At the base of it I agree with you and I was using "addicted" lightly. I've been accused of being addicted to things in the past, but I simply enjoy them and avoiding being competitive even when there is nothing to lose has been very difficult for me (although I have fun with it as well).
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I don't think competition is bad. I'm personally not very comfortable with competition, and could probably benefit from some more healthy exposure to it. Still, my general rule is that if something is used to prevent me from feeling what I should be feeling or has the power to tank my sense of self-worth, then I probably have an unhealthy relationship with it. Do you think either of those apply to you in these situations?
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We humans are very ego driven beings. Competition fuels the ego which in turn stimulates the release of testosterone and dopamine. In psychology we call this "the winner effect" and it is very well documented and studied.
Prior to any competition testosterone levels spike but post competition only the winner gets another dose. The loser on the other hand does not receive this. This leads to feeling meek and timid over time, its submissiveness an evolutionary advantage preventing it from getting into future fights that could cost it its life since it has a history of losing. This, of course, known as "the loser effect".
Besides testosterone, we need to look at dopamine. Dopamine of course is one of the main regulators of brain's reward and pleasure centers. If you want to know more about dopamine I will let you explore that on your own. You could spend your entire life studying that neurotransmitter. Most importantly to your question, dopamine is released based on the "winning" and "losing" effects as well.
So is being addicted to competition a bad thing? There are a fair number of studies out there on this subject. As with almost all things, it really comes down to balance. If you are too competitive within colleagues and social groups, it tends to lower everyone in the groups hormone levels ("loser effect").
So to answer the question, it is both a yes and a no. You can certainly go overboard on any addiction but at the same time most of the people I know are functioning addicts. Life is what you make of it brother. If you are competitive but respectful to yourself, then your addiction is not a problem. On the other hand if you find yourself disgusted with yourself, then the addiction has become a problem.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask anytime.
Peace,
The Last Sage
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