I have a life-long friend. We've known each other since kindergarten. Always considered each other best friends back then and certainly consider ourselves very good friends now and I don't see that changing. However, there has always been an extreme undercurrent of competition b/w us. It is rarely talked about but I feel it, and I know he feels it. It involves everything too. Sports, women, careers, vacations, everything. Sometimes I think its petty and try to not think about it but it never truelly ends. A lot of times it leads to some friction but it hasn't made us hate each other or anything. I do feel it is kind of annoying and even sometimes inhibits us from having a good time together. Anyone else have someone in their life who they are fiercly competitive with? I'm not that way with any of my other friends. It probably goes back to having known each other growing up. I dunno

no one....

it defies human nature, and it takes a lot of self discipline to maintain that outlook. It's hard but i have found that once i embraced that mindset that i am happier in my life. sometimes i want to shell out for the new M3 or the new escalade thinking how cool it would be the first time i roll up to a BBQ or the guys in my office see it. but whats the point? then i remind myself of my philosphy and the urge subsides. the key to building wealth is to live below your means. be a "big picture" guy and not an instant-gratification guy.

Quoted: no one.... it defies human nature, and it takes a lot of self discipline to maintain that outlook. It's hard but i have found that once i embraced that mindset that i am happier in my life. sometimes i want to shell out for the new M3 or the new escalade thinking how cool it would be the first time i roll up to a BBQ or the guys in my office see it. but whats the point? then i remind myself of my philosphy and the urge subsides. the key to building wealth is to live below your means. be a "big picture" guy and not an instant-gratification guy.

I'd say that's a pretty good outlook. I'll admit that a lot has changed for me in the past 8 months that has made me happier and less worried about others. I finished digging my life out of the hell hole that was Katrina and just moved up to Pennsylvania in early March. Since then I've been not only excited about new opportunities but also a lot less stressed, less competitive, and more focused on what I want to achieve to be happy and far less on what others are doing. It certainly makes for a happier life and better friends.

I'm very uncompetitive.  A friend of mine is, and sometimes it's funny when we find ourselves in a situation that can be considered a contest.  It can be anything from chess, or math classes or riding bikes up a hill.  I see him go into competitive mode, and he must overcome me and win.  It's kind of amusing to see.

A competitive sprit is good.
When it becomes a "non friendly" game , that is bad.
My buddy and I always compete at stuff, we always laugh at he who loses.

Nobody.

I'm not a competitive person. I'll sit back, take my time, and ENJOY what I am doing.

I'd much rather loose and enjoy than win and become stressed.

Av.

I am in competition with myself.

Luckily I am winning, at least for now...

I'm not terribly competitive. There are people in my life who try to compete with me and I just laugh at them.