Competitiveness is driven by desire to do better, not fear

There is a subtle difference between being kiasu and being competitive. The latter is driven not by fear, but by the element of bettering oneself. Competitiveness is anti-fragile.

Mr Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s book Antifragile: Things that Gain from Disorder describes how systems would eventually fail if stressors are gradually removed.

Being afraid to fail will not provide for risk-taking — a stressor integral to being competitive. Where risk equals fear of failing, that system will remain in a box, working within a comfort zone.

Innovation, risk-taking and thinking outside the box all come from self-motivation, which is never the product of fear.

Thus, in the commentary “Being competitive and happy” (Sept 19), the writers are right that “while being competitive suggests a strong desire to win or succeed, being kiasu involves comparing oneself with others, which may add unnecessary stress and uncertainty”.

The stress and uncertainty they highlighted are not the type of stressors that will make a system robust but, on the contrary, are damaging. Competitive people are often happier than those whose motivation is fear, as the former have self-confidence.