Jay Rerekura: Why we need to stop competing with each other

We don't have to be competitors. We can be friends and find success, writes Jay Rerekura. Photo / 123RF

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One of the roles I play in my life is working alongside people who have a dream.

As much as I've been called a dreamer in my life, this is about guiding them along the path of planning that out, so it becomes less of a dream and more of a goal.

It's a fulfilling role that probably teaches me more than I can ever pass on.

I get to cross paths with a number of different people from equally diverse walks of life.

Some of the dreams are far fetched, all of mine are. Some of the dreams are mundane.

But they are all worthy and deserving of the time to give an outside perspective and offer up some advice.

I do a little bit of work among the great team at Thrive Whanganui where part of our work is to coach people into a startup business.

I love the whole kaupapa of Thrive. I love the people, both past and present.
And I love the community we work in.

Exciting people with exciting minds and it's just my luck that I get to play amongst all of that.

We ran a workshop on the weekend which was an intro to the journey of the startup business and it reminded me of the power of people.

The power of a movement. The power of a kaupapa. The power of synergy and the power of collaboration.

There is an inexplicable energy that arises out of having a group come together under a common cause.

I reckon we've all experienced it in one way, shape or form.

I got it a lot through sports and kapa haka. Some people get it from singing in
a choir or playing in a band.

Some people get it through their headphones as they join their friends in the virtual world of gaming.

Jay Rerekura.

My point is, there is an energy, a wairua, a vibe that occurs where the group finds the sweet spot, the same wavelength or a common frequency.

I love finding that sweet spot - when you can turn up with a bunch of people and feel as though you belong, that you are safe and that everyone has each other's back.

As we have come to expect in business, the vernacular is very much ''competition, competitor, compete''.

It's often been a realm where you are pitted against everyone else in your industry.
A space where there are rivals and foes - almost a 'kill or be killed' mentality that may or may not be true, but it is certainly an understanding that many people have.

But does it have to be that way?

A young lady who was in attendance, a budding entrepreneur, seemed perplexed while completing an activity around 'competitor research'.

I could tell she was having trouble wrapping her head around something so I asked her, "How can I help? What are you having trouble with?"

With her face screwed up and seemingly annoyed she said, "I just don't know why they have to be my competitor. I don't want to compete with them".

She could not fathom the thought that anyone else operating in her field was against her.

She's right.

Even in my own field, I see everyone else as a friend. In fact, my local 'competitors' are people I call my friends.

We collaborate on different pieces of work.

We pass work on to each other.

We break bread. In fact, I think our collective success, for want of another term, is entirely because of whanaungatanga. Connection. Kinship.

In the words of Israel Adesanya; "When one of us win, we all win".

Collaboration is key. Helping someone out is important.

Being a friend is vital. And these things do not speak exclusively to success because when you don't succeed you learn.

"He waka eke noa." We are all on this waka together.

We are not in competition with one another, we are vital to each other's success.

We are all headed in the same direction and for me to do well relies on my willingness to pick up an oar and push forward alongside my mates.

Sticking to the nautical theme, 'rising tides lift all ships'.

So I want to mihi to this young lady for reminding me of the power of the collective.

For reminding me that we don't have to be competitors, that we can be friends and find success.

He waka eke noa - we're all in this together.