By Wenyu Shi, Student in the M.S. in Information & Knowledge Strategy Program, School of Professional Studies
Growing up in China, I experienced intense academic competition early on. In high school, most students had only one chance to take the national college entrance exam, the Gaokao, and every mock exam felt consequential. After each test, teachers posted a spreadsheet of scores and rankings at the front of the classroom, where students gathered to compare positions. Over time, I developed a strategy: before looking at the list, I estimated roughly where I might place and searched only within that narrow range until I found my name. Instead of scanning the full rankings, I focused on how my score compared with my past results or the total possible points. Long before I had the language for it, that habit taught me to anchor motivation internally rather than chasing a moving target defined by others.
Years later, I realized that the same instinct followed me into graduate study. Entering the M.S. in Information & Knowledge Strategy (IKNS) program at Columbia University School of Professional Studies often means arriving with a history of excellence in various forms of competition—academic, athletic, or entrepreneurial. Yet IKNS is built around collaboration, interdisciplinary thinking, and the open exchange of ideas across industries and backgrounds. When competitiveness becomes the primary source of motivation, whether driven by the desire to get ahead or the fear of falling behind, it can become not only insufficient but counterproductive. It may limit knowledge sharing, both individually and collectively, and diminish the deeper satisfaction that comes from curiosity, growth, and meaningful relationships.
Stepping back, it also helps to question the idea of “being the best” in the first place. Consider how rarely that label can realistically apply. According to NobelPrize.org, between 1901 and 2025, Nobel Prizes have been awarded to approximately 1,000 individuals. Similarly, the Olympic Games continually produce even longer and more specialized lists of medal recipients. In other words, across time and geography, there is rarely just one “best”—only many people who are among the best in their fields. And if being “one of them” doesn’t seem as exciting, that’s exactly the point: sustained effort and dedication rarely rely solely on external, relative measures. They draw on more stable internal foundations, such as passion, purpose, fulfillment, or simply fun.
Putting the philosophizing aside, here’s a small habit I’ve found helpful: when someone does something impressive, instead of getting tunnel-visioned by anxiety and asking only “How can I outperform that?” I try to ask different questions instead: “What can I learn from it?” and “How can I connect with them?”
As an IKNS student and a Columbia employee, I’ve come to see each seminar discussion, collaborative project, and everyday interaction as an opportunity to expand perspective rather than defend position. In a program grounded in interdisciplinary thinking and complex systems, progress rarely comes from outperforming others. It comes from learning alongside them—integrating different ways of knowing, challenging assumptions, and building something more thoughtful together.
Views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Columbia School of Professional Studies or Columbia University.
About Columbia’s IKNS Degree
Columbia University’s M.S. in Information & Knowledge Strategy (IKNS) degree integrates data, people, and strategy skills for the A.I. age. The flexible and interdisciplinary curriculum trains leaders across the entire value chain of data-driven management: Getting the data and analytics right (e.g., A.I. adoption, business analytics), creating a high performing, people-centric culture (collaboration, team/project management, organizational psychology), and finally the right change management to turn your strategy into reality.
IKNS is available full-time or part-time, online or in-person on Columbia’s landmarked campus right here in New York City. To maximize opportunities for networking and community building, our online students join our New York-based students on Columbia’s campus for three in-person Residencies during their studies. The STEM-designated Master of Science degree offers International Students (F-1/J-1 visa) an opportunity for Curricular Practical Training during their studies (CPT) and 3 years of work authorization in the US upon completing their studies (OPT).
Students train under world-class faculty, including former and current executives from Google, IBM, NASA, and Oliver Wyman, and join a powerful global alumni network in coveted positions, including at Alphabet, Goldman Sachs, Nike, Pfizer, and the World Bank.
For more IKNS insights, news, and events, please go to our website, connect with us on LinkedIn, or attend one of our online info sessions. Visit the School of Professional Studies website to learn more about the SPS Student Experience.
