Inspiration

Cell Block Legendz realizes that just about everyone can use a mental boost, push, some encouragement, and support when dealing with life in general. We are kicking off our Inspiration platform with some small figurative gifts of inspiration for you! Enjoy and be inspired!

How To Best Deal With Toxic Competition In Life

Cell Block Legendz Administrator

10/01/2020

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You have to win at all costs.

You always have to come first.

You are going to take their man or woman, by any means necessary, because you are the best one for him or her.

Coming in last place is for worthless losers.

Now, we will admit that the last sentence is a bit harsh, but these are the thoughts and words that drive winning and competition against all odds. In society, sometimes, the pressure to win at all costs seems popular and encouraged but may cause huge problems for all involved parties. This inspirational article is a long read and is intended to bolster self-awareness, self-growth, self-love, to greater magnitudes, and discuss aspects to better comprehend and deal with some aspects of toxic competition.

Competition can be a part of life. It is that noun that can make life interesting. Competition may occur among couples, siblings, employees, teams, coaches, counties, states, countries, and even continents. However, the drive to succeed is a path that can be laden with thorns and sharp pebbles.

Competition means to win for some folks and to take out or defeat their opponent. Sometimes, it goes beyond the objective of friendly competitive encouragement and motivation intended for others to challenge themselves into pure malicious rivalry, sabotage, a grudge or vendetta, a deep and unsettled feeling of insecurity, and lack of happiness and fulfillment.

Over the years, envy and jealousy are arguably the highest forms of competition, dating back to the beginning of the world. The biblical story of Cain and Abel is the beginning of rivalry in the world. It showed the extent to which human beings can go to gain superiority over their supposed competition – even through murder.

Fast forward to the 1990s, in 1993, British Airways paid a sum of £3 million to Virgin Air after the company admitted it used “dirty means” to defame the airline. British Airways was so hell-bent on bringing down Virgin Air that it would call its customers to say a scheduled flight was canceled. This competition, despite it being business-related, was fueled by a team that may have lacked emotional maturity and was hit by the inferiority complex of a new and potentially new threat in the airline industry.

Toxic And Negative Competition

Somewhere right now, there may be someone who is maliciously watching your every move from near or far or plotting to harm you because they may view you as competition and someone who must be dealt with. They may be in a fierce and unannounced competition with you and see you as an actual or perceived threat. They may (falsely) believe that you are in a power struggle with them or wish to show them up. It does not matter to them whether you mean them no harm or are not in competition with them. They are focused on you for maleficent reasons and do not mean you well.

There is a popular African adage that says, if you look too closely at your neighbor, you miss the good things in your life. Competition is everywhere, but can you spot it? In a business or personal setting, rivalry can challenge good character. It can make people want to succeed by playing dirty and may be their driving force to getting to their finish line. However, at what point does one realize that friendly comradery, motivation, or encouragement is no longer in play?

What Defines Negative Or Toxic Competition?

Competition becomes toxic and negative when one no longer considers another’s survival, physical safety, emotional well-being, happiness, peace, and when someone really believes that winning or getting what they want is all that matters. Their thoughts may be followed by negative and harmful actions towards their intended target to beat down, neutralize, or annihilate them so that they win or get what or who they want.

This attitude in adults of beating someone down to the dust can take its root from childhood. Many adults who felt inferior as children or did not get the attention they craved growing up with an unfulfilled void may have adopted the attitude that winning at all costs will fill them up.

On the other hand, adults who were always the center of attention as a child or got everything they wanted may feel worthless or deprived if they do not always win or come first. They can see everyone as a rival and everything as a competition. Narcissistic, sociopathic, and psychopathic individuals may also compete against others and not care who gets harmed so long as they win or always get what they want.

Coming To Terms With Deep-Seated Rivalry 

Toxic competition and deep-seated rivalry can create distrust and impact your circle of friends negatively (if you still have them). However, the reasons for this rivalry can be emotional trauma or abuse from the past. Superiority complex can come from years of feeling or being denied and not appreciated and to hide one’s vulnerability, a wall of superiority is vainly, arrogantly, and pompously put up. Folks who behave as if they are superior to everyone else can actually be hiding an inferiority complex. They may overcompensate for their lack of self-esteem by going to extremes and having something to prove to the world. In their world, they always have to have the most attention, most money, best car, biggest house, best clothes, best body, etc. Rarely may they confront the root of their insecurities and solve their dilemmas from within. Instead, they may seek to gain external things to make up for what they see as their deficiencies. Their insecurities also involve their fears.

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Toxic Workplace Competition

I have to find ways to antagonize, ostracize, and distract Richard every day because he’s showing me up and is Employee Of The Month again.

I must repeatedly sabotage and falsely report co-workers who are a threat to the job promotion that I so badly want.

I can’t stand that phony b*tch, Sally who is always smiling and laughing with the boss, and a*s kissing for attention and favors.

Sasha is not in our clique and always declines to hang out with us at Happy Hour after work because she chooses to work overtime instead. We don’t like her because she’s trying to stand out to the boss. We have to find ways to get her reprimanded or fired from the job.

Whether you admittingly ever thought any of the above or not, witnessed it, or are or was on the receiving end of toxic workplace competition and rivalry, it happens, can happen, and is not good either way. Toxic workplace competition can cause devastating effects for employees and companies. It can involve hostile and disruptive work environments, bad workplace morale, high turnover rates, employees calling out sick, office mobs, and even civil lawsuits. Furthermore, these issues can seep into people’s personal and home lives and romantic relationships.