Competition means ‘to seek’ or ‘to strive together’

The fierce native American tribe Lakota Sioux was made famous by the 7 times Academy Award winning movie ‘Dances with Wolves’ directed by Kevin Costner.

Lakota Sioux tribals have an amazing way to teach their warriors how to think about competitors. They say you must always respect and honour your competitors. If you have disrespect or dishonour for your competitors, you cannot be a warrior in their tribe. Their idea their belief their conviction is, that competitors are there for us to improve.They believe, the creator has given us enough jewels buried inside us. Our competitors help us to unearth the jewels.These jewels will not be discovered unless we have competitors in our life. Only when competition is there, can our best come out.

In the movie the hero John Dunbar played by Kevin Costner on becoming a part of the Lakota Sioux says, ‘It was hard to know how to feel. I had never been in a battle like this one. This had not been a fight for territory or riches. It was to make men free. This battle had no ego. I knew for the first time who I really was. I felt a pride I did not know earlier.’

The tagline of the movie says, ‘Inside everyone is a frontier waiting to be discovered.’

In the tribe, the warriors are taught they can never get angry when they are fighting. If they have become angry, they have already lost it. They are fierce fighters. They fight to win. Paradoxically, they have tremendous respect and honour for their competitors.

Have you noticed this about life? When competition improves, we are forced to improve! When competition is not there at all, mediocrity and arrogance rule.

Some glaring examples from India – Landline telephones with waiting list of years….Ambassador and Fiat cars, Bajaj Scooters, Doordarshan as TV channel, etc. With the advent of competition the best jewels have emerged in this country. When competition improves, we are forced to improve. Those who resist to improve, perish.

The warriors of Lakota Sioux are taught never to be afraid of competitors. Nor to see them with hatred. They are told ‘Watch them and learn how and where to improve’. Take them head on to learn how much more to improve. Be ready for them to come back at you strongly. Be prepared even more. Be so prepared that they do not think of coming. Always be ready. Most importantly, always think about them with honour and respect.They are there to ‘help’ you. Look forward to your competitors.

Remember, the reason for them to be there in your life is for you to ‘grow’. You are not there to defeat them. They are not here to defeat you. They are sent here by the almighty, to help you to defeat ‘that’ inside you which is defeating you. The fights are about discovering the inferior that is within, bringing out that inferior and replacing it with strength and health.

It was interesting for me to discover that the ‘root or the source’ of the word competition are two latin words ‘com + petere’ which means ‘to seek’ or ‘to strive together’.

In school days Jatinder Pal Singh Grewal, Sanjay Sharma and yours truly used to study together. We always vied for the top ranks. But we helped each other profusely. If one was not paying enough attention we would go to the extent of complaining to their parents. All three of us are doing very well in life today. Jatinder is President in Morgan Stanley, Sanjay is Vice-President with Deutsche Bank and I write Life School Messages that is subscribed by over 2,00,000 readers. We competed. We helped each other to grow. We strived together. All of us became better. All of us discovered jewels within.

Ironically, when we look around today, we see competition on ‘who can spend more?’ in buying jewelry, in throwing birthday bashes, in wearing clothes, in going for holidays, in conducting parties and celebrating occasions, in owning the latest electronic toys and gadgets, in sending children abroad to study, there is competition to show-off and shove off. In this race is there anyway anyone ‘grows together’?

The competition is on who can wear crazier jeans, on being more abnormal than others. That is what makes a Lady Gaga famous. That is what makes people go for body piercing in places that cannot be even discussed in this medium.

Is it worth it? Isn’t it making us more insecure, more insensitive, more deprived, more lost, more vulnerable?

My prayers are, lets either understand the true meaning of the word competition and grow together, strive together, be purer and better with each competition or, even if we live by the currently understood (or should I say misunderstood ) meaning of competition, lets compete to be happier.

Lets compete to give more to the society and make this world a better place to live in.
Lets compete to make more people progress by providing them with opportunities.
Lets compete and ‘mentor’ more people towards glory.
Lets compete to educate more people who need it and deserve it.
Lets compete to inspire.
Lets compete to fill a few hearts with self-belief.
Lets compete to make more people smile and laugh.
Lets compete to reduce waste of resources.
Lets compete in reducing others’ stress.
Lets compete in making people feel ‘I am worth it’.
Lets compete in appreciating and motivating people.
Lets compete in dropping our ego and developing our character.

Lets compete to Love, Pray and spread Best Wishes,

With loads of love, prayers and best wishes,
naren
As I Live…I Learn

** Source -http://www.lifeschool.co.in/competition-means-to-seek-or-to-strive-together/