Not all competitions have to be about trying to outshine someone else or rivalry; some are instituted to bring about growth, shared motivation, and consistency, and that's why I personally believe there's such a thing as healthy competition. Although it's worth noting that not all competitions are through direct collaboration, others are indirect, for instance, from personal imagination. I'm saying these because I've experienced both, and I can tell you for a fact that they work wonders in my life, and they can do the same in yours. So to make my experience more relatable, I'd be using my experience and growth here on Hive as an example.
While competitions can be healthy, it's worth noting that they have a way of turning toxic, especially when you're not careful. This often plays out when you start measuring your worth based on the performance of others; doing so will literally make things go south, which is unhealthy for your growth. The results of unhealthy competition are severe, because it usually brings about stress, discouragement, and bitterness, basically shifting one's focus from growth to comparison, and you and I know for a fact that that isn't a good place to be.
I remember one time when I was new, a Hive user created a post that he wanted to help newbies by sharing valuable information on how to grow, so he asked everyone to apply by commenting under his post. The funny thing was that I applied, but this guy seemed to be focused on accepting only ladies, and so he ignored my message and even responded to others who commented after me. That experience angered me. Because I can remember I and other guys commented like thrice, and he kept on turning a blind eye to our comments, that anger led to me creating an imaginary competition between me and those he picked, and I must say that due to the fact that anger was what inspired it, it was difficult to stay focused on self-growth until I let go of the anger and focused on my goal.
A couple of years ago, when I began my journey on Hive, everything seemed uncertain and new. It was difficult to progress, and I didn't know the basics about Hive other than what I was told by my mentor. Then I met 
A screenshot of my chat with
I can vividly remember how joyfully Nkem came to my DM on Discord months into my Hive journey to congratulate me on reaching 200 staked Hive. It was a big milestone for us then, and despite the fact that she hasn't gotten to that stage yet, you can see how genuinely happy she was for me. I myself thank her and wish she'll get there soon, and I pray we achieve greater heights here on the Hive blockchain. Fast forward to the present day, we both have racked up no less than 20,000 worth of Hive and will certainly achieve more going forward.
Talk about indirect competition. There have been times I've imagined myself competing with people that aren't even aware I've initiated a competition with them, so it can bring about growth for me. Sometimes it's with people at my level, and other times it's with people that are far ahead of me. While I understand that some people might think it's unrealistic to put yourself in a competition with someone way ahead of you.
I think otherwise and believe it's all about having the right mindset. What I usually do with those ahead of me is to basically observe those whose work speaks volumes and say to myself that one day I'll get there too, and maybe even go beyond. I'm saying that not because I envy them but because I want to draw inspiration to rule my own journey, and that's what reminds me to show you each day to improve and never give up.
Overall, I think all we need to do is ask ourselves a few questions like, what am I competing for? Is it to grow or just to prove a point? Because I believe the key to keeping balance is intent, you must also be able to answer if you're genuinely happy for others growth or if you're secretly hoping they fail so you can shine. Those were questions I asked myself, and being able to answer them was what helped me stay grounded, because competition shouldn't be about bringing others down but about lifting yourself without losing your humanity. Be it in competition with friends, like me and Nkem, or silent ones, just make sure it's not draining your peace but rather pushing you forward.
All photos are mine, except stated otherwise.