Merdeka Rapid

Mark and I are back from the one day rapid tournament yesterday in Mid Valley and as usual we found loads to talk about. I always feel blessed when I interact with our National Juniors. I find a spirit there which I do not find in many other places.

I think that spirit comes from healthy competition... When minds come together to solve a problem and in doing so share knowledge.

This is what I see. When you believe in yourself you share. Why? Because you trust yourself, you trust your mind. By sharing knowledge you learn also and you will find that others too will share in return.

I said this to Mark. Confidence is very elusive. You may be confident until your first loss. But you must not lose heart. When you are confident you share, when you are not confident you must also share or you will lose that confidence. When you become afraid, start to think you are not good enough and start to withdraw, then you are on the road to failure. In your mind you have already lost.

You can see this in competition; healthy and otherwise. Unhealthy competition produces frustration, anger and bitterness.

Healthy competition produces a freeing of potentials. By the way that is what the word "education" means at its root. Check it up.

Note: As the Merdeka series of tournament continue, try to observe this. You will see both. It is relative of course but the stronger players will exhibit confidence and I believe you will find that they will share to those they believe are serious. And you will also see those that have closed up from fear. Who do you think will have the better potential? The one that sees the cup half full or the one that sees it half empty?