Learn by Competing
My first taste of competition came when I was seven years old, in Junior Bible Quiz, or JBQ. This quiz-bowl competition is participated by teams from surrounding churches. Each quizzer must study preset questions that are worth 10, 20 or 30 points. The questions, which are asked by the quiz-master, can be interrupted by buzzing in first, but whoever interrupted the question needs to complete the question before saying the answer.
This requires double focus. First, you must pay attention to the words. What are they asking about? Do I know this question? After you buzz in, you have 30 seconds to get your answer out, presumably the right answer. Memorization is the second key to JBQ; you can’t quiz over questions you don’t know! While the memorizing part came easy to me, focusing during the actual quiz match was my Achilles heel. Someone would always beat me into buzzing because my mind would wander into space. By the time I came down to earth, the question has already been interrupted and answered. This happens even when I know the question and answer!
Eight-year old me wanted to quit; I didn’t like it when I would get the question, but my Mom encouraged me through it all. She would urge me to keep going, no matter what. When Covid-19 hit and JBQ was canceled, my parents found another way for me to compete: through sports.
I wasn’t the athletic type, but it gave us a chance to get outside, get fit, and stay healthy. So, why not?
The first sport I played was golf. When I was little, my dad would take me to the local golf course. There, I discovered, to my delight, that when I hit the ball a certain way, it would go flying! Even though I don’t play golf competitively yet, I still get the same feeling 11 years later. It is a great way for me to change pace when I needed it most.
I also played basketball for a while, and tried some swimming. The intense drills from basketball weren’t easy, and the early morning sessions for swimming was an awkward change. But change is how you grow, from a laziness addict to a morning person who knows the importance of hard work.
We found tennis soon afterwards. At first, it was fun. But when we started competing it was too much for me to handle. I would pout all practice, wanting to quit even before I started competing. My heart wasn’t in the game. That might be the reason I went on a 1-29 win-to-loss record. If anything, I learned that nothing comes easy in life. Finally, there came a turning point when I realized that competition isn’t all about winning. It’s about learning. It is a process. It is a life skill you keep for the rest of your life. It is about believing in yourself. It is the mental will to accomplish something; the will to work hard. It is a learning process. The only failure is not trying.
Keep going until you forget you wanted to quit.”
– sHE IS DANIELLE –
With a new perspective on tennis and life, I started training more. Working harder. Disciplining myself. With the work I put in, I got to positive wins vs losses. To date I’m still quizzing through the Teen Bible Quiz, and I compete in tennis via USTA tournaments.
Life is full of hidden opportunities to challenge yourself, and competition is one of the most exciting ways to grow. Whether you’re on the tennis court, buzzing at a quiz meet, preparing for a school debate, auditioning for a role, or simply tasked with washing the dishes, every challenge teaches you something new about yourself.
After a few years of competing through sports and quizzing, I found the balance between the two. I’ve learned several like skills that I can use to complement my mental strength when I’m competing for tennis and when I’m quizzing. It’s about pushing myself to be better than I was yesterday. Slowly discovering my strengths, and finding out how far I can go when I give my all.
On this blog site, we’ll explore together how competition can help you build confidence, overcome setbacks, and discover what you’re truly capable of. Along the way, you’ll hear stories from other teens who’ve faced challenges, learned from failures, and celebrated victories—not just in trophies but in personal growth.
So, are you ready to compete—not just against others, but with yourself? Let’s get started!