A hidden competitive streak may reveal itself in your choices and attitudes today, even if you typically do your best to avoid testing your aptitudes against those of others. If allowed to develop out of control, your desire to engage in competition can become a need to win at all costs. You can use your competitive mood as a source of vigor and stimulation today by focusing your energy on the nonadversarial aspects of rivalry. Sports and other friendly games in which you earn recognition and validation through your competence can present you with the perfect opportunity to work through your competitive streak in a spirited but ultimately friendly way.

Competition can energize and inspire us, provided we focus on outdoing ourselves for the purpose of self-improvement rather than on outdoing our comrades because we desire to be viewed as the best. A competitive mind-set and a predilection for contests of strength, skill, or willpower can be a part of a balanced life if we respond to that mood in a balanced way. It is easy to get drawn into the adversarial aspects of a friendly contest even if that was not our initial intention. But we need not allow ourselves to be overtaken by it; instead, we should view competition as a means to determine how we have developed so far and what we can do in the future to grow in our individuality. Your need to win can be channeled into healthier outlets today by using it to fuel your established desire for self-improvement.