Strategy explains how an organization, faced with competition, will achieve superior performance. But what exactly is competition? How does it work, and what do managers need to understand about the nature of competitive success? In this chapter, Porter's longtime editor and colleague Joan Magretta lays out the basics of his classic thinking on the topic, beginning with the right mind-set. The chapter explains why you must stop thinking of competition as a form of warfare and instead aim to be unique, not best. Creating value--not beating your rivals--is at the heart of competition. This chapter was originally published as Chapter 1 of "Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy."