It's on our social media feeds. It's on our TV sets.
Competition. Rewards. Ribbons. Trophies. Medals. Certificates.
It can be as constructive as destructive; as esteem building as debilitating.
So, when is competition a good thing – and does every child really need to win a prize?
Rowena Hardy, coach and counsellor of Minds Aligned, reckons it's a mixed bag.
"Competition is part of life in general, but it is how it is handled that can become a danger zone," she says.
"It's all about how it plays out. Like everything, there is no one-size-fits-all and while it (the concept of every child wins a prize) might make everyone feel okay at the time, that's not really what life's about. And when it comes to competition, some will compete and some with retreat.
"I think it comes from positive intent and it is a modern way to approach the issue and downplay competition so everyone feels like they have contributed."
But there is a downside.
"When you avoid declaring a winner, it temporarily boosts a child's ego but that could also mean that later on they have trouble motivating themselves apart from what is expected and also have trouble recognising success in themselves,” Hardy says.
In life, she says, we don't get a reward just for showing up and those kinds of rewards won't lead to change and are not sustainable.
Hardy also goes so far as to say that reward which is expected can, in fact, reduce performance and effort; and it dilutes the importance of that effort.
Competition – which should be carefully differentiated from comparison – is a double-edged sword, she says.
"When it is handled well and not malicious, it can be healthy. It can foster teamwork and collaboration and build confidence.
"On the other hand, if it isn't handled well, it can be de-motivating. It is good to learn what challenges children and, at the same time, what they can and cannot handle."