Board games can be fun. Character is built playing board games. There is, of course, good character and bad character. So which part of your character are you building?
Competition is healthy because it allows you to work hard to get the upper hand or victory and you are gracious in defeat (except in war when you might lose land or have much to pay for reparation). In working hard for victory, you learn things like strategy, discipline, and determination. On the other hand, when you don’t focus on yourself or you doubt yourself (too much) or you have a defeatist attitude, then many bad qualities come to the fore. An extremely important trait and discipline to have, is to believe in yourself that you will always give of your best. It may be that you finish last in a race but the discipline to perform well will stand you in good stead in everything else you do. Being last in a race is not a permanent failure. But in not doing your best, you can gain a rather destructive trait. And that is what negativity brings: destruction. Using the board game “snakes and ladders” as an example, then the objective is, after benefiting from ladders elevating your position and avoiding the devouring snakes, to reach the end before the next player. But this is what often transpires: You pray that the other players land on the gaping mouth of the snake and fall into the abyss. You thrive on the downfall of the next person. And you say it is only a game. Yet, you showed brutality and that was your only focus. It was about you succeeding but only at the failure of the other person, a failure which you loved and for which you prayed. How about in your life? How uplifting of others are you? Is your life and character based on “snakes and ladders” or “Monopoly”? Games of chance is nothing but a gamble, but you still easily accept the outcome. It is better to be competitive on an equal footing with talent and ability being key. Even so, spare a thought for those not quite on your level and help them along. As for those better than you, then the challenge is to improve and never to look at their downfall, only at learning from them and improving yourself to a higher level.
You and I are different and so it is for most people. We learn from each other but do not despise each other for our differences. Importantly, you strive in two things always (aside from everything else) and that is to improve where needed and to help improve and uplift others. Hoping for the downfall of others is a slippery slope that you will not escape and the ladders will not help much.
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