# How people think about competition and winning

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/culture/how-adults-think-about-competition-and-winning/
Published: 2026-05-05

> Featured topic in Culture.

Roughly 63% agreed at least somewhat that competition helps them discover their abilities, while 60% disagreed at least somewhat that winning is the most important thing no matter what.

## Overview: Competition and winning

Adults separated competition as a way to test ability from a more absolute belief that winning matters no matter what.

Roughly 63% agreed at least somewhat that they enjoy competition because it helps them discover their abilities. About 60% disagreed at least somewhat that winning is the most important thing no matter what.

## Competition as self-discovery drew agreement

Roughly 29% somewhat agreed, 22% agreed, and 13% strongly agreed that they enjoy competition because it helps them discover their abilities.

Combined, about 63% agreed at least somewhat with the statement. Roughly 16% disagreed at least somewhat, and 21% neither agreed nor disagreed.

## Winning at any cost drew disagreement

About 27% strongly disagreed and 21% disagreed that the most important thing is winning, no matter what. Another 13% somewhat disagreed.

The agreement side was smaller. Roughly 23% agreed at least somewhat, while 17% neither agreed nor disagreed.

## The paired items point to a boundary

The two results are not opposites. Adults were open to competition when it was framed as learning about ability, but they were less accepting of a statement that made winning the overriding goal.

## Supporting evidence

### 63% agreed that competition helps them discover ability, while 23% agreed that winning matters no matter what.

Question: I enjoy competition as it allows me to discover my abilities.

Note: Anchors the topic in a positive competition framing.

Topline:

- Somewhat Agree: 28.5%
- Agree: 21.8%
- Neither Agree nor Disagree: 21.1%
- Strongly Agree: 13.0%
- Somewhat Disagree: 6.8%

### 60% disagreed at least somewhat that winning is the most important thing no matter what.

Question: The most important thing is winning, no matter what.

Note: Contrasts competition as self-discovery with winning at any cost.

Topline:

- Strongly Disagree: 26.7%
- Disagree: 20.5%
- Neither Agree nor Disagree: 16.7%
- Somewhat Disagree: 13.0%
- Somewhat Agree: 12.0%
- Strongly Agree: 5.6%
- Agree: 5.5%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: United States adults who completed both waves of the survey
- Field dates: 2023-04-19 → 2023-04-27
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.6%
- Module: MPSA 2023 Omnibus Survey #2023-032
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Sources

- [Please rate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement: I enjoy competition as it allows me to discover my abilities.](https://verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co#q10-competition-and-abilities): verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co: Anchors the topic in a positive competition framing.
- [Please rate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement: The most important thing is winning, no matter what.](https://verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co#q9-the-most-important-thing-is-winning-no-matter-what): verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co: Contrasts competition as self-discovery with winning at any cost.

## Citation

MPSA 2023 Omnibus Survey #2023-032, fielded April 19-27, 2023, N=1,000 United States adults who completed both waves of the survey, +/- 3.6%.

Canonical question URL: [https://verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co#q10-competition-and-abilities](https://verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co#q10-competition-and-abilities)