Have you ever noticed that people who utter platitudes like "Life isn't a competition" tend to be, shall we say, better off? They've got the basics covered and don't have to worry about things like freezing to death, or where their next meal is coming from. Chances are they are working like lunatics on the extras (nice house, family, car, etc.) behind the scenes, but publicly professing a different message.
The truth is-- life IS a competition, but it's not as simple and straightforward as which neighbor owns the most expensive car. It's about the way society chooses to use and distribute resources that are finite and/or limited.