I think having a competitive hobby is worthwhile, especially if you are a naturally competitive person. It allows you to have goals you can control, and gives you something to do with more consistency and predictability than you will find on the corporate career ladder. Conversely, making your career your only competitive outlet will change you, and likely not in ways you will enjoy. So find something you enjoy that facilitates goal setting and do it. It will give you an outlet for your intrinsic motivation that cannot be ruined by some executive’s need to shuffle the org chart.