By nature, I am non-competitive and never mind losing games because I love to see other people win. For me, playing games with someone is fun in itself and that is the sole reason that I play. Instinctively, I always consider what I believe is the nicest thing to do in nearly every situation I encounter.
However, after an insightful conversation with my sweetheart and my mother, I learned that the way that I approach games hasn't been nice after all!
My loved ones explained to me that if I purposely do not play my hardest or try to do my best, I am, in essence, "throwing the game" for the other player(s). If I make a move that does not advance myself but instead allows someone else to get ahead, then I am not being fair. Wow! This is true!
My mom explained that if I play a game just to see her win, then it is no fun for her because I was not a competitive player. This has honestly never occurred to me before. My sweetheart helped me realize that a competitive spirit is not "mean" or "aggressive" but instead is healthy and helps inspire others as well. Also, if I simply play for fun, never minding losing, and never playing with the intent to win, this attitude carries through to every aspect of my life.
Gosh! This was an important lesson for me. It made perfect sense and helped me look at challenges and games in a whole new way-- the way everyone should!
Here is a great example of how "letting someone else win" is unfair to them:
What do you think? Is being non-competitive the nice way to be?
Or do you agree that you should always try your best to make a game as fun and rewarding as possible?
