How important is competition to a young person's confidence and development?

I'd say competition can be valuable, but it really depends on how it's approached. Healthy competition pushes young people to improve and discover their strengths, but when it becomes too intense or focused solely on winning, it can damage confidence. For example, during high school, I struggled with math for a while. My teacher, Mr. Wang, encouraged friendly competition by organizing group problem-solving challenges. It wasn't about who was the best but about working together to solve problems. That approach helped me gain confidence without feeling overwhelmed. On the other hand, I've seen classmates who faced immense pressure from parents to always be the top scorer, and it often led to stress and self-doubt. So, competition works best when it's balanced and supportive, rather than purely results-driven.