The Power of Participation: Why Youths should Compete

Competition, like a double-edged sword, has shaped numerous facets of human existence for centuries. From the battlefield to the trading floor, it has ignited innovation, driven progress and bestowed upon us countless achievements. 

In today’s fast-paced society, competition is even more prevalent, from the simplest occurrences of attaining a higher score on a test to the current hustle culture of securing a high-paying and well-respected job. Millions of young people step into the arenas of competition every year, and while the spotlight often falls on the winners, the true value of these experiences lies far beyond the trophy.

What Youths Really Gain from Competitions

1. Building Real-life Skills

We often hear that students are prepared for the test. After all, school grades closely tie into opportunities in the future, with national examinations determining which schools students go to, for instance. Rote memorisation is often a common studying technique used, so most youths are adept at recall and applying learned formulas. Alas, the world today is fraught with complexities, thus demanding the cultivation of critical-thinking skills. We can’t just use a one-size-fits-all approach; youths today need to have a conceptual understanding such that they can grasp the underlying principles of subjects, to apply their knowledge to unfamiliar situations. This is what competitions can provide, as competitions often simulate real-life problems and challenge students to go beyond the school syllabus. 

2. Catalysing self-growth

By setting our competitors as standards to beat, competition motivates youths to constantly set new, feasible and progressive benchmarks to overcome. Just look towards the motto of the Olympics, which is “Faster, Higher, Stronger” – it aptly captures the spirit of competitions, motivating individuals to build that strong will and mentality to continually give their better and best, a mindset that will prompt them to be better versions of themselves. Participating in a competition and seeing feats that seem almost impossible being achieved, youths will see this as a challenge and realise how much more they can actually do if they believe it is possible. 

3. Cultivating Confidence & Resilience

Knowing that you can win or lose in front of others, putting yourself out there demands courage. Youths learn how to handle pressure, accept feedback and cope with setbacks through competitions. Not every competition ends with a win, yet each loss offers a lesson: the value of persistence, the importance of preparation and the power of learning from mistakes. Over time, this builds real resilience, and this is essential to navigating the many challenges in life. 

4. Fostering Healthy Competition

Not all competition is cutthroat. In fact, when framed positively, it teaches youths how to strive for excellence without tearing others down. Youths can learn to celebrate others’ achievements while pursuing their own, to win with humility and lose with grace. It is pivotal to balance ambition with integrity, to not just win by getting an undue advantage, or mocking others when they are not as strong a competitor. 

5. Unlocking New Opportunities

Youths get to step out of their more familiar social and academic circles as they meet, compete and collaborate with other youths from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Competitions also often require public speaking or presenting ideas in front of an audience, which hones communication skills that are virtually required in every profession and sets them up for future leadership skills. Moreover, youths who participate in competitions tend to be highly motivated. Youths will feel inspired by interacting with like-minded individuals and get further clarity on their ideas and skill sets by seeking advice from experts in the fields they are pursuing. Hence, competitions can serve as a springboard to work towards their future goals. 

Ready to challenge yourself?

If you are keen on venturing out of your comfort zone and joining a Youth Competition to challenge yourself, our Design For Good Competition and New Media Youth Competition are now open for all students to join! 

Take the Chance, and Make the Change in your life by joining us today!