Competing creatively

Both co-operation and competition are natural social impulses--just watch any group of animals; each behavior has its place.  In fact, because the need to surpass a rival can be very motivating, competitive impulses are often at the root of creative behaviors.

Despite its bad reputation, competition can generate positive ideas and behaviors. For one thing, people "compete" not just with one another, but also with tired assumptions, scary forces of nature, oppressive governments, or biased beliefs. 

Competition becomes destructive when it degenerates into reactions: merely repeating what the "other side" does but doing it more aggressively.  Instead, use your creativity to find more effective ways to compete. 

Start by going beyond "I want to win!" by defining your goal creatively.  For example:

• Instead of just trying to beat the fastest runner on the team, set a goal of developing a smarter, more effective training regimen that both helps you win, and also sets you up to keep increasing your personal best over time
• If you wish you could "shout out" the old ideas that are keeping your company or community from being effective, use your creativity to find ways to engage and persuade others to discuss new ideas with you

And don't forget about co-operation: the ability to get others on your side by co-operating with them can help you to compete much more effectively.