Competition on TV & in Life

Lately, I’ve been rewatching Ink Master and watching Survivor for the first time.

Survivor is practically a cultural mainstay in America. The exhilirating reality show, in which 16 contestants survive in the wild and compete for one million dollars, has 45 seasons and counting. On the other hand, I’ve been a fan of Ink Master for years. It’s a competition show for tattoers, and the grand prize is $100,000.

They’re vastly different, but both demand a blend of skill and strategy to survive week by week until a winner is crowned.

Naturally, at the start of each season, I ask myself – who of all these people will rise above the rest and make it to the end?? I enjoy the character development, and through the high’s and low’s, I root for certain players. I feel shock and amazement when people lose earlier than I expected. And I ponder how I would perform under so much pressure.

Even for those who don’t win in the end – every single contestant except one – the whole experience is rewarding.

Maybe there’s a lesson in that. We’re each special, but we’re also each ordinary. We can’t be “winners” at everything, but all the stops on this journey of life are worthwhile.

Speaking of which – the journey of life feels like a competition sometimes. Many of us compete with the glamorized perception we have of others (because social media is a highlight reel). Often we compete with past versions of ourselves.

Am I prettier or uglier than I used to be? That’s a source of insecurity for women especially (hence our rabid consumption of anti-aging products). Am I prettier or uglier than the girl whose selfie just popped up on my Insta feed? Now that’s toxic.

We’ve heard of people working well under the pressure of a deadline, but what about the pressure we put on ourselves constantly to BE better?

I want to be a little less competitive and just appreciate myself and what I have. Let’s leave all the fuss to Ink Master and Survivor contestants.