Good engineers are never scared to compete.
Most good engineers I met were highly competitive but in a good way. When they saw a better code, they absorbed it and used the pattern the next time in their code. When they heard someone talking about an interesting algorithm, they looked that up to understand it in detail.
Most people consider it jealousy, but this is a fuel that helps them get better than others. In most cases, they needed worthy opponents who pushed themselves beyond their limits and ensured that they not just met the bar but raised it entirely.
I have been fortunate to have some of them as my direct reports, and I had to ensure that they understand that competitive spirit is not about tearing down others, instead, it is about pushing yourself above them.
So, next time you see someone doing better than you, writing better code, learning something interesting, or working hard, take it as an external push to become better than them.
Make competition your constant drive to be better.
Also, remember a → b ≠ ~a → ~b
⚡ I keep writing and sharing my practical experience and learnings every day, so if you resonate then follow along. I keep it no fluff.
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