I hate to lose.

That said, I am proud to admit that competition has made me a better businessman, a better golfer and a better person. And when there isn't another company or business to compete with, I try to outdo myself. If that sounds simple, well, it is. I always want to be at my best and show my best side.

People can exceed expectations when motivated properly. This story, told by Andrew S. Grove, former CEO of the Intel Corp., the California manufacturer of semiconductors, is a perfect illustration.

For years the performance of the Intel facilities maintenance group, which is responsible for keeping the buildings clean and in good shape, was substandard. No amount of pressure or inducement seemed to do any good.

Then Intel initiated a program in which each building's upkeep was periodically given a score by a resident senior manager. The score was then compared with those given the other buildings. Result: The condition of all of the buildings improved dramatically -- almost immediately. Nothing else had been done. People did not get more money or other rewards. What they did get was the stimulus of competition.

Competition drives performance. It drives people to work harder and dig deeper to deliver more than they ever thought they could.

Among the many benefits of increased market competition, according to the tutor2u website:

-- Lower prices for consumers.

-- A greater discipline on producers/suppliers to keep their costs down.

-- Improvements in technology with positive effects on production methods and costs.

-- A greater variety of products from which to choose.

-- A faster pace of invention and innovation.

-- Improvements to the quality of service for consumers.

-- Better information for consumers, allowing people to make more informed choices.

There's nothing like a little competition to boost productivity. Look at industry studies and you will consistently see that competition helped improve results.

I am and have always been very competitive. I understand that some people don't like competition, but you have to accept that competition is unavoidable in life. That's the way our society works. It's my belief that our society improves with competition.

Some parents don't want to engage their young children in competition. I understand their reluctance in situations where unrealistic expectations are set, but friendly competition is good. It is critical to prepare children and teenagers to compete in the real world. As they grow older, they will face competition in schools, in the workforce, even in the housing market.

A University of Florida study found that participating in sports is a healthy way to teach kids about the positive aspects of competition. Playing sports helps kids understand how competition works in a friendly environment and that if you try your hardest, you have a better chance at succeeding, not to mention improving your health and self-esteem.

When I was in London at the Olympics, I heard an interviewer ask an athlete to predict the outcome of his race.

The athlete said, "I'll come in fifth."

Sure enough, that's exactly where he finished, even though he could easily have placed third, or even second, since two other major competitors fared poorly.

Contrast this with Manteo Mitchell, who broke his leg midway through the 4-x-400 meter relay but kept running to allow the U.S. team to reach the final.

I cannot emphasize enough that all my business life I have faced competition, and I believe it has made both my company and me better. When competitors improve their products, we improve ours more. When a sales prospect mentions service, I ask what the other company promised them and then exceed it. We know our customers better here at MackayMitchell Envelope Co. It's our real leg up on the competition. We hate to lose a customer. We take tremendous pride in beating the competition, because that means we are serving our customers better.

There is an old saying in Africa that goes like this: Every morning a gazelle gets up and knows that it must outrun the fastest lion or it will get eaten. And every morning, a lion gets up and knows that it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.

So, whether you are a gazelle or a lion, every morning when you get up, you'd better be running.

Mackay's Moral: If you go the extra mile, you will almost always beat the competition.

Last week, I told you about the remarkable athletic performances I witnessed at the London Olympic Games. My wife tells me that it's a good thing the Summer Olympics are held only every four years, or I would have to quit my day job to keep up with the events!

These athletes possess an inner drive that is foreign to most of us. Their natural talents are just a starting point. But they have a secret weapon: their coaches.

There is something much scarcer, something finer, something rarer than ability: It's the ability to recognize ability. Jerry Colangelo, head of USA basketball, is a genius for appointing Mike Krzyzewski, better known as Coach K, to lead the USA men's basketball team.

There are many outstanding college and professional coaches who could have coached this crew of individual stars, but I sincerely doubt that many of them could have gotten the final results Coach K delivered. Eight years ago, Argentina beat the USA for the gold medal despite the incredible array of talent from our NBA teams. This was not the result that Coach K wanted to repeat.

For 40 years, I have been watching USA Olympic basketball, with terrific memories from Michael Jordan to LeBron James. The Americans have dominated the sport for decades, but the world has closed the gap in the men's game. Fortunately, the gap has not yet closed for USA's fabulous women's players.

The problem for Coach K is no one seems to understand this fact. The world, and especially USA basketball fans, think every game we play is over before it starts. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As a group, America unquestionably has the edge in sheer talent. We assemble a team of all-stars who command enormous professional contracts and huge endorsement deals. These 11 individual dominant players, however, must play as a team. They play for national pride. There are no salaries involved here. All the players come together and risk injury to play for their country. They give up their summers and check their egos at the door. Money can't buy their emotional high.

Coach K is the genius who kept them playing as a team. Truth is, I didn't go to all eight games just to see the players. I went to marvel at the coaching. Coach K has been expected to win (at Duke) his entire career and has the mental tools and strength that come with the highest expectations. He welcomes this pressure.

I had the pleasure of watching part of a closed practice. Coach K is untouchable when it comes to handling pressure and maintaining sheer unadulterated focus. He is one of the most disciplined coaches I have ever witnessed.

Coach K was virtually emotionless from start to finish in all eight Olympic games. That is part of his DNA -- no matter if his team is ahead by 30 points or losing coming down the stretch.

Never for a moment during their quest for a gold medal did I ever think that every player who took the court was putting out less than 110 percent. This is a great tribute to Coach K. Without a question in my mind, they would never have brought home the gold without that kind of work ethic inspired by their leader.

Another feather in Coach K's hat was the explosive nature of Olympic team competition. You can easily have an international scene on your hands. In the USA game against Argentina, one of the USA players was kneed in the groin right in front of the team bench. I thought, "That's it. Here comes a total brawl." "Lucky" is not the word to describe how we escaped a donnybrook. Once again, credit Coach K. His players demonstrated total restraint from retaliating against the unsportsmanlike player.

Talking with Coach K at the afterparty gold-medal celebration, I kidded him about his 3-foot leap off the bench when Chris Paul blew past his defender for a reverse layup to break Spain's back in the gold-medal game. He admitted he couldn't hold back his emotion after four years of pressure to bring home the gold.

Coach K told me he is a better coach in 2012 than he was in 2008. He claims this is his last Olympics coaching gig. Let's hope the next coach and all the businesspeople out there take a page from Coach K's playbook.

Mackay's Moral: "Don't worry about losing. Think about winning." -- Coach Mike Krzyzewski

There are few things left to be said about the spectacular Olympics we witnessed in London.

The 10,000 athletes all had Olympic dreams. Some were realized, while others had their hopes dashed as they fell short of their goals.

As Americans, we had overwhelming reasons to be proud of our topflight athletes, even when they didn't bring home medals. Anyone who viewed the events couldn't help but be impressed.

As a delighted spectator, I can say that I also had Olympic dreams. And mine came true.

Again.

I have been attending every summer Olympics for 40 years. And I think the 17 days my wife and I spent in London were probably the most electrifying of all. I have watched athletes young and old exhibit a level of concentration and dedication that astonishes me. I always learn a thing or two, frequently not related to sports.

For me, the Olympics are a metaphor for how to succeed in life and business. Of the 40 events we attended, these were my favorites:

-- Persistence will win the day. When 15-year-old Katie Ledecky dove in for the 800-meter freestyle race, she was hardly the favorite. Commentators feared she had too fast a start and wouldn't be able to sustain her lead. All she knew was that she was swimming the race of her young life. The youngest member of the American Olympic delegation had to swim for a half-mile and maintain an exhausting pace to beat the crowd favorite, Great Britain's Rebecca Adlington. Katie looked fabulous with a gold medal draped around her neck.

-- Teamwork is essential for success. The USA men's basketball team of elite all-stars are accustomed to being the center of attention on their NBA teams. They spend their regular seasons trying to beat each other on their opposing teams. To defeat Spain for the gold, they had to contain their egos and deliver their best efforts -- together. As they mounted the awards platform with arms linked, they demonstrated their commitment to teamwork and to their country.

-- Follow your passion. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings had already won gold at the last two Olympics in beach volleyball, and contemplated whether the London games were in their future. Despite the other plans each pursued, the Olympics were never far away from their thoughts.

-- Work as hard as you can, then work harder. The games are full of stories of athletes who defied all odds to be able to compete. What could be more inspiring than watching South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated before his first birthday? To me, this was without question the most amazing event to watch.

-- You are the only one who can limit your potential. Michael Phelps got off to a disappointing start, finishing fourth in an event that he should have dominated. Was that a wake-up call for the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time? He came shining through, medaling in the rest of his events. He is the proud owner of a record 22 Olympic medals, 18 of them gold.

-- Set goals. Usain Bolt was defeated in Jamaica's Olympic finals in June, so he rededicated himself and became the greatest sprinter in Olympic history. He won the 100-meter and 200-meter races and anchored the men's 4x100-meter relay, which set a world record.

-- Visualize your dreams. The Fab Five of women's gymnastics had a huge challenge against the Russian team. They knew that a single misstep could end their dreams. These athletes are too young to remember when the USA last won women's gymnastics gold in 1996, but they all spoke of being inspired by the 2004 games -- when they were about 8 years old -- and their dreams of Olympic gymnastic success.

-- You've gotta have a little fun. The pageantry of the opening and closing ceremonies was magnificent, but is it really necessary? Absolutely! These celebrations are gigantic, larger-than-life events that are meticulously choreographed and executed to make sure everyone is having a great time. As much as I love the athletic competitions, I wouldn't miss these two extravaganzas.

Mackay's Moral: Maybe you can't win a gold medal for your job, but you can still be a champion.