--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But one way or another competing and…" description: "\"“But one way or another competing and weeding takes place . . . or a race goes downhill.”\" — Robert A. Heinlein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/robert-a-heinlein-209_evolution_but-one-way-or-another-competing-and-wee_947681.jpg" --- # But one way or another competing and weeding takes place… ![“But one way or another competing and weeding takes place . . . or a race goes downhill.” quote by Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/robert-a-heinlein-209_evolution_but-one-way-or-another-competing-and-wee_947681.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/robert-a-heinlein-209_evolution_but-one-way-or-another-competing-and-wee_947681.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/robert-a-heinlein-209_evolution_but-one-way-or-another-competing-and-wee_947681.jpg) > ““But one way or another competing and weeding takes place . . . or a race goes downhill.”” [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explains that competition and elimination are inevitable, and without them, progress or a race will deteriorate. **In simple terms:** Competition drives progress. Key Takeaway Embrace healthy competition. Themes competition progress survival Mood energetic analytical Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - business markets - sports leagues - academic research Key Concepts evolution market forces Questions to Reflect On - What healthy competition can you foster? - How do you balance competition with collaboration? A Different Perspective Excessive competition can be destructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competing/) [Competing Weeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competing-weeding-1666581/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Race Goes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race-goes-1300649/) [Sociology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sociology/) [Way Competing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-competing-1666582/) [Weeding Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weeding-takes-1666583/) ## Related quotes > [We definitely don't want to get in others' way while we're competing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-carter/we-definitely-don-t-want-to-get-in-others-way-while-we-re-competing/) [Michelle Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-carter/) > [We want to get to the same sort of level as Man City doing it our own way and be competing for all competitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-ramsdale/we-want-to-get-to-the-same-sort-of-level-as-man-city-doing-it-our-own/) [Aaron Ramsdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-ramsdale/) > [He swift don't win the race. It goes to the worthy, who can divide the word of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/he-swift-don-t-win-the-race-it-goes-to-the-worthy-who-can-divide-the/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Steve Davis has found a way of competing to a level that is not as high as it once was, enjoying his wins, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/steve-davis-has-found-a-way-of-competing-to-a-level-that-is-not-as/) [Stephen Hendry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hendry/) > [We want to get to the same sort of level as Manchester City, doing it our own way and competing in four competitions like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-ramsdale/we-want-to-get-to-the-same-sort-of-level-as-manchester-city-doing-it/) [Aaron Ramsdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-ramsdale/) > [My dear, I used to think I was serving humanity . . . and I pleasured in the thought. Then I discovered that humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-dear-i-used-to-think-i-was-serving-humanity-and-i-pleasured-in-the/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Ethics Are Negotiable; Morality Is Absolute”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monk-of-yhvh/ethics-are-negotiable-morality-is-absolute/) [monk of YHVH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monk-of-yhvh/) > [“A woman by nature is supposed to be picky, because a woman decides the quality of our next generation by virtue of whom she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dixon/a-woman-by-nature-is-supposed-to-be-picky-because-a-woman-decides-the/) [Patricia Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dixon/) > [I'm interested in power. I'm interested in the kind of polarities and equilibriums that take place within sexuality and philosophy and sociology. So in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-m-interested-in-power-i-m-interested-in-the-kind-of-polarities-and/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [“Some day, I must ask him what it's like to be married to someone who, eyes narrowed in thought, peers at him over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/some-day-i-must-ask-him-what-it-s-like-to-be-married-to-someone-who/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“Free love may try to dissolve, and the concubinate to desecrate, the holiest tie, as it pleases; but, for the vast majority of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/free-love-may-try-to-dissolve-and-the-concubinate-to-desecrate-the/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [“Equality of condition and equality of opportunity must provide the foundation of an interdependent nation with building blocks found in dignity and respect given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-banks-lewis/equality-of-condition-and-equality-of-opportunity-must-provide-the/) [Julie Banks Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-banks-lewis/) > [Pity is cruel. Pity destroys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/pity-is-cruel-pity-destroys/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [I studied philosophy and ended on sociology. For some reason, all the advanced courses in philosophy were offered 4:30 to 6:30, so I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-jackson/i-studied-philosophy-and-ended-on-sociology-for-some-reason-all-the/) [Lawrence Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-jackson/) ## More by Robert A. Heinlein > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ninety-percent-of-all-human-wisdom-is-the-ability-to-mind-your-own/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [If we blow ourselves up we will do it by misapplication of science; if we manage to keep from blowing ourselves up, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-we-blow-ourselves-up-we-will-do-it-by-misapplication-of-science-if/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Women will forgive anything. Otherwise, the race would have died out long ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/women-will-forgive-anything-otherwise-the-race-would-have-died-out/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Most neuroses and some psychoses can be traced to the unnecessary and unhealthy habit of daily wallowing in the troubles and sins of five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/most-neuroses-and-some-psychoses-can-be-traced-to-the-unnecessary-and/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [No statement should be believed because it is made by an authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/no-statement-should-be-believed-because-it-is-made-by-an-authority/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Some people are ants by nature; they have to work, even when it’s useless. Few people have a talent for constructive laziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/some-people-are-ants-by-nature-they-have-to-work-even-when-it-s/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every aspect of our personalities derives from it. Anything that conflicts with the survival instinct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-instinct-to-survive-is-human-nature-itself-and-every-aspect-of/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“I tried to dig out of the computer a call directory for Luna. But it was still sulking. I could not get it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/i-tried-to-dig-out-of-the-computer-a-call-directory-for-luna-but-it/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“this has more aspects than a cat has hair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/this-has-more-aspects-than-a-cat-has-hair/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Never own more than you can carry in both hands at a dead run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-own-more-than-you-can-carry-in-both-hands-at-a-dead-run/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“In Wilson's scale of evaluations breakfast rated just after life itself and ahead of the chance of immortality." ~ By His Bootstraps / Robert A. Heinlein”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/in-wilson-s-scale-of-evaluations-breakfast-rated-just-after-life/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ignorance-is-curable-stupid-is-forever/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) [Explore all 888 Robert A. Heinlein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## More Competing quotes > [When you reach that competing point, when you reach that time when the gun is about to go off, everyone's level is pretty much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/when-you-reach-that-competing-point-when-you-reach-that-time-when-the/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [Popular culture as a whole is popular, but in today's fragmented market it's a jostle of competing unpopular popular cultures. As the critic Stanley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/popular-culture-as-a-whole-is-popular-but-in-today-s-fragmented/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [I competed every day as a professional football player... You've got to like competing. That's how your team gets better, when you have competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-competed-every-day-as-a-professional-football-player-you-ve-got-to/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [There are 16 year olds competing at the olympics and i still push on pull doors & struggle getting through the whole day without a nap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-eastwood/there-are-16-year-olds-competing-at-the-olympics-and-i-still-push-on/) [Scott Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-eastwood/) > [I love nothing more than going out there and competing. And baseball's my outlet to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-fried/i-love-nothing-more-than-going-out-there-and-competing-and-baseball-s/) [Max Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-fried/) > [I've always worked closely with the designers and whoever's making the costumes. Comfort is the last thing you want on your mind when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-yamaguchi/i-ve-always-worked-closely-with-the-designers-and-whoever-s-making/) [Kristi Yamaguchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-yamaguchi/) > [I don't think anybody who carries a rifle carries the future. Because I don't believe that you can really change the world by killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-don-t-think-anybody-who-carries-a-rifle-carries-the-future-because/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [America breeds ambition and while that can be a good thing, sometimes it's not. Ambition also breeds competition and that can be a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaka-khan/america-breeds-ambition-and-while-that-can-be-a-good-thing-sometimes/) [Chaka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaka-khan/) > [I'll miss the competitive side and the camaraderie of being around the players and competing each and every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-ll-miss-the-competitive-side-and-the-camaraderie-of-being-around/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [Being away from the game and just remembering why I love competing and all of that, I think it helped me tremendously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-keys/being-away-from-the-game-and-just-remembering-why-i-love-competing/) [Madison Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-keys/) > [Competing is intense among humans, and within a group, selfish individuals always win. 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