The Art of Competition

By: Payton Cowan

Throughout the entire span of human history, the art of competition has remained THE dominant way in which humans settle rivalries and enjoy themselves. Now, while the art of competition has been ever present, its presentation has changed substantially over the millenia.

Contemporary competition has become one of the most advanced things humans know and quickly comprehend, placing opposing groups or individuals against each other in either mind or body while allowing them to discover who is superior at a certain task.

When it comes to the art of competition I want to discuss how you can outsmart or outmaneuver your opponent in any given situation. With my experience in competitive e-sports, I will be using that as a reference point. The three main sections of outperforming an opponent can be split into these three categories, physical performance, mental performance, and mental fortitude.

Table of Contents

• Channel Your Inner Yugi - Understand the Mechanics of Competition
• Be L - Out Thinking your Opponent
• Exist Like Todoroki - Cool and Composed

Channel Your Inner Yugi - Understand the Mechanics of Competition

Probably the least important group in nearly any competition is physical performance.

n a situation such as esports that can be aim, ability usage, timing, etc. If your mechanics in the competition you are in are substantially better, you stand a chance against whoever is outperforming you. A thorough understanding of mechanics and rules is also important because the more advanced ideas that are improved upon often use mechanics as their foundation.

Any planning or foresight also requires a basic understanding of mechanics in order to fully execute it. Remember however, that mechanics are not something to rely on, rather, they are a segue to grander ideas. 

Be L - Out Thinking your Opponent

One of the “grander ideas” is the mental performance of the game. Learning how to plan, and adapt that plan as the competition moves along is crucial in order to become the best you can be.

Planning is simple, however once one thing goes awry you must know how to adapt and change quickly in order to make the most successful counterattack.

Many people whose mechanics are weaker than normal, often do better than others simply because they have the capability to plan and adapt that plan quickly which puts them in better positions to strive for the win without necessarily needing to rely on great mechanics.

Effectively any competition is watching the clash of two strategies, and how fluid they are in response to the other strategy. However, when these plans don’t work it is important to remember my third and most important point in this essay, mental fortitude.

Exist Like Todoroki - Cool and Composed

Competition can be frustrating, especially when things aren’t going your way. It could feel like the easiest and best path is to give up because it seems you are being outplayed at every angle. This is the most dangerous trap of a competition which your opponent wants you to fall into.

The sense of hopelessness leads to foolish plays and mistakes which could be easily avoided. At the same time you feel like giving up, your opponent feels like the competition is a guaranteed win for them, use that overconfidence to turn the tide.

Keeping your head during competition is important to make the most out of every situation you may find yourself in and perform at your best in competition. 

Competing with the Theory

Everyone handles competition differently. But at the core there are three main things which are important to remember as you face off against your opponent.

Consistently practice your mechanics in order to have a baseline defense against potential out-plays. Training your mind in order to plan ahead and calculate every move you make, while being able to change that plan as the competition unfolds.

Finally learning to keep your cool and level mindedness regardless of the challenges that come your way. Follow these three tips and you will see yourself improve as a competitor in no time!