The nimble mind can find ways to compete everywhere.
F’rinstance, I work in a 14-story building. My office is on the 8th floor. Since I’ve started running, I only take the elevator when I’m in a hurry and am going to be late. Or at the end of the day, when I want to get out of the building as quickly as possibe.
So, when I’m riding the elevator up and others get on the elevator with me, sometimes they want off on floors below the 8th, and sometimes above. More often below the 8th floor, though. Same principle (only in reverse) applies to riding down.
I’ve come to view stopping before the floor I want, to be “losing”, and any other outcome (in other words, the quickest possible ride when sharing the elevator) to be “winning”.
Today when I got to work, two other people got on the elevator with me, and I waited to hit my button until after they had selected their floors. It was almost like roulette or something, the anticipation as they reached for the panel… and pushed “9” and “11”.
Whoo-HOOO! I win again!