The Winner’s High
“Winning two challenges within two months was so amazing!! I can’t explain that feelings in words.” Sanjay Parmar
“Winning the challenge was such a great feeling. . !” Shane Mayack
“(upon finding out I had won, I felt) disbelief – and I still haven’t rid myself of the feeling. This was too unexpected for me.” Julia Skripka-Serry
“(upon finding out I had won, I felt) elated, and gratified.” Keith Everett
These are just a few quotes from problem solvers that have participated in IdeaConnection challenges. They point out a well-known truth; winning feels good. Decades of psychological research and billion dollar gambling industries support this fact. What’s interesting is why winning feels good – because it is a risk-taking behavior. This is seen in an R&D challenge, where a problem solver risks not receiving monetary pay for his or her time and work but they take that risk for the chance to win the compensation.
Humans are a risk-taking species. It’s been shown to be connected to the survival instinct. The scientific term for the attraction to risky behavior is “sensation seeking”, the sensation being that of novelty, change and excitement.
Most professionals, with a few exceptions such as sales people, don’t have many opportunities for sensation seeking in the workplace. “Winning at work” is typically a phrase used more in connection with the process of producing satisfactory results that will lead to promotions and increased wages. Satisfying yes, but not on the same level as a “winners high”. So, they are sought in other, often more unhealthy forms.
A more productive option is to compete in a problem-solving challenge. The risk is mitigated by the fact that most problem solvers, even when not on the winning team, still gain valuable new contacts, new information or new skills by participating in a challenge.
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