Competitiveness is a personality thing and competitive people don't become pushovers the day they turn fifty.
People, in whatever walk of life, would be surprised if they just gave themselves a chance by believing in what they are.
People have to learn who they are - you can't have somebody else telling you who you are.
To me, that's what really puts things into perspective as a reminder that there are people out there who have things far worse to deal with than most of us do.