American society is, as behavioral economists tell us,
aggressive and celebrates winners. When we score the
benefits of winning, we identify it with being happier and
living longer.
Nobel prize winners live longer, Academy award winners
do too. Gold medal winners smile on the medal stand;
silver medalists can be seen grimmacing.
Po Bronson, who co-authored a book on competition,
offers suggestions on how to succeed in competitive
situations. A couple of notable tips:
- collaborate with a team so that we try harder not letting the
team down. (swimmer Jason Lezak example)
- know that you have a chance to win, if you give it your all
- get acclimated to the competitive situation and have an
accurate perception of the odds (home team advantage)
- learn to lose and come back by concentrating and trying
harder (focus on what did not happen)
- adapt peer pressure as a significant push to do better
- avoid being over-confident. (psychology of rankings)
March 16th, 2013 at 6:28 am
View the “Top Dog” Glossary for terms with deeper meaning.