Being competitive and happy — Jason Ng Li Sheng and Ang Swee Hoon

SEPTEMBER 19 — Singapore is known for its competitive streak, going by various global reports that rank the Republic among the most competitive economies in the world.

At the individual level, we see the same competitiveness. In education, for instance, parents register their children at choice kindergartens and volunteer at primary schools for a higher chance of securing enrolment for their children.

As the children progress, many hours are also spent on tuition lessons.

Associated with this competitive spirit is kiasuness, or the fear of losing, which is a quintessential Singaporean trait.

While being competitive suggests a strong desire to win or succeed, being kiasu involves comparing oneself with others, which may add unnecessary stress and uncertainty.

At the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School, we set out to examine how competitive Singaporeans are. Given that Singapore was listed last year as one of the 10 least happy countries in the world despite being one of the wealthiest states, we looked into whether being competitive makes a person less happy, too.

We also wanted to investigate whether competitiveness and quality of life go hand in hand. We surveyed 200 Singaporeans representative of the population aged 15 and above in March and had some interesting findings.

NOT SO COMPETITIVE BUT HAPPY

Contrary to Singapore’s ranking in the Global Competitiveness Report, Singaporeans do not see themselves to be very competitive or kiasu, rating themselves only 3.9 out of 7.

So, while Singapore may be competitive as an economy, Singaporeans view themselves differently. We also found that they are generally happy.

Survey participants scored 70 per cent on both dimensions of happiness which we measured: Zest for life and sense of accomplishment.

But what is interesting is that the more competitive a person is, the happier he is. Among the top quartile of “competitive” Singaporeans in this study, almost 20 per cent reported being very happy compared with less than 5 per cent among the less competitive. In fact, none of the more competitive Singaporeans indicated that they were very unhappy.

Such competitive yet happy people are more exuberant. They also have a stronger handle on matters, perhaps economically, that allows them to make easier decisions. Being competitive also motivates them to accomplish what they want and this gives them a sense of purpose and pleasure.

Our findings also indicate that the more competitive one is, the more satisfied he is with life.

While 11.5 per cent of those in the top competitive quartile indicated they have a high quality of life, less than 3 per cent reported so in the bottom quartile. In fact, about one in six (16 per cent) of those who reported being less competitive expressed that they have an inferior quality of life.

Often, a driven, competitive individual does not take things for granted, making the rewards much sweeter when an objective is attained or a task accomplished.

Such people tend to recognise and appreciate their lot in life, while those who are less driven tend to want things to fall into their laps and appreciate less of what life has offered.

Thus, in contrast to the common view that being competitive is a downer and reduces quality of life due to stress, this study suggests that we can be competitive yet happy at the same time.

MID-LIFE BLUES

Age makes a difference to happiness. The young and elderly are the happiest, while happiness is snuffed out when middle age hits due to worries over career, paying bills and children’s future.

While one in two seniors aged 65 and above reported feeling very happy, fewer than one in five among those aged 45 to 54 years old — the middle-aged group — felt the same.

We also found that those who are middle-aged are almost six times less likely to laugh a lot, compared with senior citizens above 65.

Specifically, 44 per cent of seniors felt that they laugh a lot, compared with fewer than one in 10 (7.7 per cent) among the middle-aged group. Perhaps not surprisingly, the youngest survey participants reported enjoying having fun with others.

More than three in five (62 per cent) of those aged 15 to 34 said they enjoyed the company of others.

Again, the middle-aged exhibited the least happiness, with fewer than one in four (23.1 per cent) enjoying having fun with others.

On whether Singaporeans are satisfied with life, we found that they are most satisfied with national security, the corruption-free environment in Singapore and the legal system.

They are least satisfied with wealth distribution, followed by political freedom and the transport system. Why do the survey participants consider Singapore not up to par in these areas?

Could it be that Singaporeans’ expectations are unrealistic? Or are these genuine national issues of concern?

Whatever the reason, there is a need for the government to manage citizens’ expectations. We should, however, recognise that no government is perfect.

While one’s satisfaction with life depends on the smooth running of a country, it is also important to be aware of one’s responsibilities and level of expectations.

For aspects that Singaporeans are satisfied with, we should continue to devote resources to sustain that performance.—TODAY 

* Jason Ng Li Sheng is an honours undergraduate and Ang Swee Hoon is associate professor of marketing at the National University of Singapore Business School.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or organisation and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.