Cooperate not compete.

COOPERATE MORE THAN YOU COMPETE.

In the 2021 Olympic games in Tokyo, Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi, and Mutaz Barshim of Qatar agreed to share a gold medal in the high jump event that ended in a tie. These two friends were given the option to settle the tie with a jump-off, but Barshim in the spirit of cooperation and sportsmanship asked, how about two golds? The official said it was a possible option, and Barshim accepted the option with a nod and Tamberi instantly accepted, slapping Barshim’s hand and jumping to hug him.

These two people could have opted for a jump-off, one of them would become a gold medalist, and the other a silver medalist, but through cooperation, and putting aside the spirit of competition they both became gold medalists. Sometimes, what we need to be winners is not our skill and ability, but our willingness and readiness to cooperate with others for a joint win.

No one individual has ever and can ever achieve anything all by their own self. Everyone that has achieved something, or done something special in the world has done it with the help of some people. People will always be a part of everything and anything that happens, negatively or positively, and every contribution is always very important to the process.

Competition is good as it can bring the best out of a person when it comes to performance, but cooperation is better, it helps everyone win with ease. As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off." So, cooperate more than you compete.

Kamikun John, Author 366 days of wisdom.