Win Lose or Flaw

Competition is a sacred word in America. It drives our economy,

industry, scientific discovery and even our arts. We learn to

compete as children playing pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and continue

all the way to rest home bingo.

Competition requires performance measurement. To be first, means getting

ahead of the person in second and staying there. The constant

pressure to win can improve our situation or impoverish our spirit.

At its best, the competitive spirit drives us to "be all that we can

be." At its worst, it forces us to run over peoples' backs in track

shoes to get to where we think we want to be. It can push people to

cheat, chemically enhance their abilities, and cook their books. It

can forever put an asterisk next to names in the record book.

It's no accident that the language of competition is also the

language of war: Victory vs. Defeat, Offense vs. Defense, and

Winners vs. Losers. The seeming trite saying, "win the battle, but

loose the war," applies. Perhaps by keeping our eye on the larger

victory, we can more easily understand life's little competitions

may be sporting, but not truly important.

Ray Kroc the founder of McDonalds was smart and very competitive. He

once said, "If one of my competitors was drowning, I'd stick a hose

in their mouth." Interestingly, this competitive spirit did bring

fast food franchise success. Kroc's McDonalds failed to turn a

profit. It was his real estate holdings, which he leased to

McDonalds' franchisees that made him rich.

I saw a bumper sticker on the back of the biggest shiniest pick-em-

up truck I've ever seen. It read, "Whoever dies with the most toys

wins." I'd like to think that having toys isn't as important as

having fun. I'd also like to think that the best victories are

those without victims.

As for today...On your mark, get set.

Going, I am