--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Competition is pretty much the essence of…" description: "\"Competition is pretty much the essence of everything, it gives humans drive.\" — Ashton Eaton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/ashton-eaton-26978_competition_competition-is-pretty-much-the-essence-o_2086765.png" --- # Competition is pretty much the essence of everything, it… ![“Competition is pretty much the essence of everything, it gives humans drive.” quote by Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/ashton-eaton-26978_competition_competition-is-pretty-much-the-essence-o_2086765.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/ashton-eaton-26978_competition_competition-is-pretty-much-the-essence-o_2086765.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/ashton-eaton-26978_competition_competition-is-pretty-much-the-essence-o_2086765.png) > “Competition is pretty much the essence of everything, it gives humans drive.” [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Competition drives human progress by motivating effort and innovation. **In simple terms:** Competition fuels growth. Key Takeaway Channel competition into personal goals. Themes motivation competition human nature Mood energetic determined Type sports philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - academic pursuits - team sports - entrepreneurship Key Concepts psychology performance theory Questions to Reflect On - What drives you beyond competition? - How to balance competition with collaboration? A Different Perspective Excessive rivalry can cause stress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [Drive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drive/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [It's amazing to me that we let humans drive cars... It's a bug that cars were invented before computers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/it-s-amazing-to-me-that-we-let-humans-drive-cars-it-s-a-bug-that-cars/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [God gives us humans everything we need to flourish, but he's not the one who's supposed to divvy up the loot. That charge was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-kidder/god-gives-us-humans-everything-we-need-to-flourish-but-he-s-not-the/) [Tracy Kidder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-kidder/) > [I was looking for something like baseball, where there's a lot of data and the competition was pretty low. That's when I discovered politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/i-was-looking-for-something-like-baseball-where-there-s-a-lot-of-data/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) > [The competition is pretty rough these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-randall/the-competition-is-pretty-rough-these-days/) [Tony Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-randall/) > [Human nature being what it is, peace must inevitably be a relative condition. The essence of life is struggle and competition, and to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-perez-de-cuellar/human-nature-being-what-it-is-peace-must-inevitably-be-a-relative/) [Javier Perez de Cuellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-perez-de-cuellar/) > [“Why would you do that? Why would you act like you didn't know how to drive?" "Isn't it obvious, Sage? No, of course it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/why-would-you-do-that-why-would-you-act-like-you-didn-t-know-how-to/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [My dad is a competitive guy. That's a part of me. It's just a certain drive, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auston-matthews/my-dad-is-a-competitive-guy-that-s-a-part-of-me-it-s-just-a-certain/) [Auston Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auston-matthews/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [“never fall asleep in a Dumpster, never underestimate a bee, never drive a convertible behind a flatbed truck, never get old, never get drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/never-fall-asleep-in-a-dumpster-never-underestimate-a-bee-never-drive/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“Some women walk towards a better future. Others have chauffeurs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/some-women-walk-towards-a-better-future-others-have-chauffeurs/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [I hate cars that much, I don't even own one. The last one I bought was a Honda CR-V which I didn't even take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hopkins/i-hate-cars-that-much-i-don-t-even-own-one-the-last-one-i-bought-was/) [Katie Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hopkins/) > [Merlin' was awesome, but the costumes would drive you insane. Every day, you'd get into chain mail and wear 30 pounds of that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-macken/merlin-was-awesome-but-the-costumes-would-drive-you-insane-every-day/) [Eoin Macken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-macken/) > [It turns out that social networks drive a heck of a lot of traffic to blogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg/it-turns-out-that-social-networks-drive-a-heck-of-a-lot-of-traffic-to/) [Matt Mullenweg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mullenweg/) > [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) ## More by Ashton Eaton > [I won't back down. I get a satisfaction from being tested and defeating the test.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/i-won-t-back-down-i-get-a-satisfaction-from-being-tested-and/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [I'm not maximized yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/i-m-not-maximized-yet/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [You can't really explain competing in Olympic event to someone. You can say, "Oh, that was really tough." And that literally means nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/you-can-t-really-explain-competing-in-olympic-event-to-someone-you/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [If you have done something once, you can do it again or you can do it better. The beauty is the pursuit of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/if-you-have-done-something-once-you-can-do-it-again-or-you-can-do-it/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [I think a challenge for myself is to see how many times I can get above 9,000. That would be a good challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/i-think-a-challenge-for-myself-is-to-see-how-many-times-i-can-get/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [The thing I like about decathlon is also the thing I dislike: It's the maximum challenge, but also the maximum frustration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/the-thing-i-like-about-decathlon-is-also-the-thing-i-dislike-it-s-the/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [It's important not to make the gold medal bigger than it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/it-s-important-not-to-make-the-gold-medal-bigger-than-it-is/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [There's never going to be a decathlon that you're going to have 10 events that your satisfied with. You're always, always going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/there-s-never-going-to-be-a-decathlon-that-you-re-going-to-have-10/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [I want to see where I measure up against everyone in the world and everyone who has ever competed in the sport, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/i-want-to-see-where-i-measure-up-against-everyone-in-the-world-and/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [To do the best that I possibly could in my world makes me pretty happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/to-do-the-best-that-i-possibly-could-in-my-world-makes-me-pretty-happy/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [I knew I could compete with most people in high school. It didn't quite give me an attitude, but it made me think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/i-knew-i-could-compete-with-most-people-in-high-school-it-didn-t/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [I feel it's right for me to wear a Canadian flag baseball hat. Regardless of the fact that my wife is Canadian and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/i-feel-it-s-right-for-me-to-wear-a-canadian-flag-baseball-hat/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [When I see my mom in the stands, it always pushes me to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/when-i-see-my-mom-in-the-stands-it-always-pushes-me-to-succeed/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [The desire definitely comes from within. There are only a few people who make it to this level and those are the ones who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/the-desire-definitely-comes-from-within-there-are-only-a-few-people/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) > [I wouldn't say there was a moment of realization when I wanted to be a runner; it was always just something I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/i-wouldn-t-say-there-was-a-moment-of-realization-when-i-wanted-to-be/) [Ashton Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) [Explore all 21 Ashton Eaton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/) ## More Competition quotes > [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [People think that the Club World Cup is an easy competition, but it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keylor-navas/people-think-that-the-club-world-cup-is-an-easy-competition-but-it-s/) [Keylor Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keylor-navas/) > [If you ask another competitor, they may tell you they felt very competitive towards me. But I can tell you that my biggest competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-kwan/if-you-ask-another-competitor-they-may-tell-you-they-felt-very/) [Michelle Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-kwan/) > [“At times, competition can be a good thing. But a person's value isn't something that can be ranked, is it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hotaru-odagiri/at-times-competition-can-be-a-good-thing-but-a-person-s-value-isn-t/) [Hotaru Odagiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hotaru-odagiri/) > [Our competition has always been anything that is wasting your time when you're bored at work. In a broad sense. We want people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/our-competition-has-always-been-anything-that-is-wasting-your-time/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I've always considered making it legal for Americans to import their prescription drugs a free-trade issue. Imports create competition and keep domestic industry more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-grassley/i-ve-always-considered-making-it-legal-for-americans-to-import-their/) [Chuck Grassley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-grassley/) > [Honestly, we’ll compete with everybody. I love competition. As long as people invent their own stuff, I love competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/honestly-we-ll-compete-with-everybody-i-love-competition-as-long-as/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [I try to keep up with everything - all wrestling across the board. I want to know what the competition is doing, what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-hardy/i-try-to-keep-up-with-everything-all-wrestling-across-the-board-i/) [Matt Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-hardy/) > [Sometimes in England, people look down at the Europa League, but being from the continent, I've always realised what an important competition it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mignolet/sometimes-in-england-people-look-down-at-the-europa-league-but-being/) [Simon Mignolet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mignolet/) > [“There is a scene in one of the Rocky movies where after the match Apollo Creed and Rocky are waiting for the scoring of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-passaro/there-is-a-scene-in-one-of-the-rocky-movies-where-after-the-match/) [John A. Passaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-passaro/) > [I've always written. When I was in school, the only teacher who ever liked me was my creative writing teacher. I used to enter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-townes-earle/i-ve-always-written-when-i-was-in-school-the-only-teacher-who-ever/) [Justin Townes Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-townes-earle/) > [Competition between men is a fuel that's useful to us. We have to be careful that it doesn't tell the same story over too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/competition-between-men-is-a-fuel-that-s-useful-to-us-we-have-to-be/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) [Browse all 3,894 Competition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Competition is pretty much the essence of everything, it gives humans drive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ashton Eaton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/competition-is-pretty-much-the-essence-of-everything-it-gives-humans/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Competition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/competition-is-pretty-much-the-essence-of-everything-it-gives-humans/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/ashton-eaton-26978_competition_competition-is-pretty-much-the-essence-o_2086765.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/ashton-eaton-26978_competition_competition-is-pretty-much-the-essence-o_2086765.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/ashton-eaton-26978_competition_competition-is-pretty-much-the-essence-o_2086765.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Competition is pretty much the essence of everything, it gives humans drive.” — Ashton Eaton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ashton Eaton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-eaton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Competition is pretty much the essence...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/competition-is-pretty-much-the-essence-of-everything-it-gives-humans/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-eaton/competition-is-pretty-much-the-essence-of-everything-it-gives-humans/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```