Summary
- I explore the idea of being motivated by joy rather than competition, and why this approach can be more fulfilling and natural for people such as myself.
- I introduce the term “joy-driven” and where it might have come from to describe this mindset, and further explained how it contrasts with a competition-driven approach.
- I acknowledge the challenges and limitations of applying a joy-driven approach in various areas of life, such as management, mentorship, and privilege.
- I conclude with the hope of encouraging everyone to try and pursue a life that hopefully feels more natural and fulfilling by focusing on the things that bring them joy.
In today’s society, I find that there is a lot of emphasis placed on competition. Having seen it in the professional world, schools, or even in our personal lives, we are constantly encouraged to compete with others and strive to “be the best”. However, not everyone is motivated by competition. Some people, like myself, are more focused on finding joy in the things they do, rather than trying to outdo others. I want to explore why this approach can be just as valuable, and even more fulfilling, than constantly competing with others.
Firstly, I want to point out that there is nothing really wrong with competition. I think competition can be a great motivator for many people, and can drive them to achieve things they may not have thought possible. But for others like me, competition can come up as a source of stress, anxiety, and even feelings of inadequacy. I recognize that everyone is different, and what works for one person may not work for another.
But for me, the idea of competing with others has never been a major source of motivation. Instead, I am driven by the things that bring me joy. Whether it’s producing visual art, making music, or learning any new skill for that matter, I do these things simply because they make me happy. Of course, there are times when I face challenges or setbacks (they’re surely not all “fun and games, rainbows and sunshine”), but I try to see these things as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than seeing it in the context of competing with others.
I think one of the great benefits of focusing on joy rather than competition is that it allows me to be more “present” in the moment so much that I could even find humor in it often. I find that when I am doing something that brings me joy, I am genuinely engaged and focused on the task at hand. I am less distracted by thoughts of how I compare to others or how I can outdo them. I am simply enjoying the experience for what it is.
I also think focusing on joy allows me to be more “natural”. I think when we are constantly trying to compete with others, we run the risk of being detached from who we really are as individuals. We may begin to mold ourselves into the image of what we think “others” want us to be, rather than coming to terms with our own innate and unique qualities and talents. By focusing on joy, however, we are able to tap into our own passions and interests, and pursue them in a way that just feels natural.
Of course, this is not to say that we should be complacent and not try to improve ourselves. I think it’s important and very healthy to consistently set goals and work towards them as a guide, at least. But by focusing on joy rather than competition, I find myself being able approach these goals in a more relaxed and fulfilling way. I get to enjoy the journey, rather than being solely focused on the destination.
While I understand that competition can be a great motivator for many people, my personal experiences lead me to think that it is not the only path to success and fulfillment. I’d argue that by trying to focus on the things that bring us joy, we can find our own unique path and pursue a life that feels more natural and fulfilling. So, I wouldn’t worry too much if anyone of you is like me and not particularly motivated by competition. I’m one of those guys who would use the cliche “embrace your passions” because I find that when you do that, you get to pursue them with joy and enthusiasm, and you might find that success and happiness would naturally follow to a meaningful degree.
As I go deeper into this idea, I’ll start using the term “joy-driven” to refer to this approach to life. But I want to clarify that my use of the term “joy-driven” is mainly for the sake of simplicity and ease of understanding, and I am not necessarily interested in pushing for its use as a buzzword or catchphrase.
“Joy-driven” is a term that I’d use to describe the mindset that focuses on personal happiness and fulfillment over external markers of success. And I think it’s a useful term in a society wherein many conversations revolve around themes of competition and comparison. While I apply it in a more generalized context, I’ve mostly seen the term appear in Christian articles. In Christianity, being joy-driven is a by-product of being rooted in the gospel, in a deep sense of security that comes from the assurance of being made right with God through Jesus Christ.
The path from gospel-rooted security to being joy-driven involves a shift in focus from external validation to internal satisfaction. When one’s sense of worth and identity is rooted in the gospel and the love of God, those who manage to believe should have a lesser tendency to seek validation and approval from external sources, such as success or the opinions of others. (The Bible recognizes that this won’t — and can’t — always be the case, however, as we find people in different points of their faith.) But I don’t think that this approach to life is strictly exclusive to Christianity, and individuals from various backgrounds can find meaning and purpose in it to an extent.
With that in mind, I’d also like to put forward that promoting this mindset in various areas of life may not always be straightforward. In particular, there may be challenges in applying a joy-driven approach in, for example, management and mentorship relationships, where I see a lot of competition-driven motivation. I also recognize that individuals’ backgrounds and experiences may also influence the way they view the promotion of such a joy-driven mindset.
For example, promoting joy-driven motivation in management and mentorship relationships can be challenging due to the understandable popularity of competition-driven motivation in many workplaces and industries. I realize that people may have a hard time (or even become actively resistant) about shifting towards a joy-driven approach, which could be especially true if employees or mentees are accustomed to being motivated by external rewards and recognition.
There’s also the issue of privilege. I recognize that access to resources, social networks, or opportunities, may provide individuals with more freedom to pursue activities that bring them joy without the pressure to compete. But I would also submit that privilege does not necessarily determine whether a person will have a more competitive mindset or a joy-driven one. For example, many individuals from privileged backgrounds may still feel the need to compete and compare themselves to others, while others from less privileged backgrounds may prioritize joy and personal fulfillment over external markers of success for various reasons that may or may not be related to their level of privilege.
Hence, I would argue that individual experiences still play a significant role in determining how one approaches motivation. In other words, I think that a person’s mindset towards motivation is not solely dependent on what they have (or don’t have). Some individuals may find that competition-driven motivation is effective and fulfilling, while others may resonate more with a joy-driven approach because it aligns more closely with who they are (or have become) as individuals.
However, as somebody who prioritizes joy-driven motivation, I still find it unnatural to motivate others through competition. I wouldn’t really know how to do it whenever I try. My personal experiences and my values make it challenging for me to embrace a competition-driven approach. And for the most part, I still have a hard time trying to relate to others who normally find motivation through external rewards and recognition.
Overall, I’ve explored the idea of being motivated by joy rather than competition, and why this approach can be more fulfilling and natural for people like me. I’ve also introduced the term “joy-driven” to describe this mindset, and acknowledged that it may not be easy or applicable to promote it in some areas of life. I’ve also come recognize that individual experiences and backgrounds may influence how one views motivation, and that competition-driven motivation may work better for some people. But ultimately, I just hope to put my thoughts on the subject out there as an encouragement to anyone to try and discover their own unique path and pursue a life that hopefully feels more natural and fulfilling by focusing on the things that bring them joy.
Full disclosure: I wrote this post with the help of ChatGPT. ChatGPT helps me flesh out ideas and deliver them in the clearest way possible all in a shorter amount of time. Having said that, I remain fully responsible for what has been written and the specific ways that they have been expressed in this article. I strongly discourage the use of ChatGPT in school or in any other formal or academic contexts.