Open competition…a handicap?

Social media has craftily forged the unforgiving free reign of open competition and comparison. Everyone can know what everyone else is doing.

These measurements of virtual (and real) success are judged in open forums and compartmentalized into numbers. Additionally, these sentiments are attached to who is more dynamic, search worthy and notable.

Bruce Tulgan’s 2009 article in Financial Executive, “Managing in the ‘New’ Workplace,” describes Gen Y competitiveness as a movement born out of our formative years from constant testing, which developed a different kind of competitive spirit:

“While the self-esteem movement had  a tendency to chip away at Generation Y-ers’ competitiveness, the emphasis on testing they faced during their formative years had the effect of building it back up. Testing breeds a different kind of competitiveness: Competition against standards and benchmarks, against averages and means and against one’s own past performance.”

Gen Y’s allegedly inflated self-esteem, however, seems more like a fragile self-confidence propped up by constant reassurance and affirmation of our most mundane accomplishments.

The idea of special isn’t originating from within ourselves, but from other people – whether it’s from a parent or an employer.

The accomplishment of good work is not enough

Perhaps, this has created a deficit in the Gen Y professional movement. We’ve become so obsessed with specialness, praise and recognition, we’ve forgotten the other things defining more satisfying definitions of success and work. What will success mean in the long run if it’s based on admiration?

If our “high” self-esteem and want for praise is what drives us, it may be the dreaded career pitfall as well.

In the Journal of Managerial Psychology, the 2008 article, “Generational Differences in Psychological Traits and Their Impact on the Workplace” notes,

“Employees who are merely confident – i.e. who have high self-esteem – may be a mixed blessing. On one hand, high self-esteem is correlated, though weakly, with task performance. However, high self-esteem workers may also react more defensively to criticism

…Although confidence is not always a bad thing, it is also not the unmitigated good it is often assumed to be.

…The trait more strongly correlated with performance is self-control, or the ability to persevere through difficulty and not be distracted from long-term goals. This approach is more beneficial than simple confidence.”

What does “special” mean?

The complex relationship of success is partnered with not only trying to out do yourself, but out doing others at the same time.

The pursuit of making yourself special steers toward believing that other people are less special. Or, more special. Or, even the most special.

The Internet democracy turns in gleaming digital evidence of this everyday. Exhibits A, B and C are in the forms of Facebook friends, Linked In connections and Twitter followers. Blog comments, Google rank and web buzz are akin to character witnesses.

Growing up in a generation where you are told you are a winner, the best - being “special” has its own unique heartbreak.

Special does not have its perks. It has its burdens. I am convinced, however, that the world of interesting is a lot more fun to play in than the neighborhood of special.

“Interesting” has more branches connected to it. It offers more space to grow and become.  Somebody can become more interesting.

But, nobody can ever really become more special.