I hate to lose

I've always been a very competitive person.  I hate losing.  I've come to fear failure in my life - not just in school and work, but in pretty much everything I do.  I've been an athlete since I can remember.  Skiing, snowboarding, cheerleading, swimming, diving, soccer, track, dance, and basketball - you name it and chances are pretty good that I've tried it.  Have I succeeded at all this?  I regret to say that no, I haven't.  It hurts to say this, but I'm not programmed to win everything, and just like the other members on the past teams I was on, I HATED to lose.

I think it's human nature for us to want to be the best at everything, and it's absurd to see the risks people go to in order to achieve the highest status in something.  Athletes train 24/7, starve themselves and inject foreign substances in their bodies to make themselves stronger, faster, more flexible - whatever talent their field requires to make them the best. People in the work force plagiarise work, live on caffeine, spy, and participate in other illegal activities to get that raise. 

Maybe there are more people out there like me, who are afraid to fail.  We aren't expected to be perfect, but why then do so many of us shudder at the fear of being anything less than?  We are constantly reminded to be the best, but what if our best isn't comparable to that of another person producing their best work?  Are we to strive or lower ourselves to their standard of what the best is? Maybe it's time we settled for our own level of perfection - of being happy with who we are, the abilities we put forward, and the talents we are capable of performing.  If that breaks expectations and makes us perfect, great!  If not, we can at leas be proud of ourselves and know we put forth the most perfect and best form of ability we are capable of as a human being.