Life is not a competition
I've been meaning to write this post for a while, but because of a busying life haven't quite had the time. And it keeps nagging at me..
Because of my new job I've come across someone who's younger than me who's in a more advanced role career-wise than myself. What makes it even more interesting is that I was around the individual before they had even entered the workforce. As much as I think highly of myself I have to admit to pangs of jealously. The prompter of this post though was my attempt to make myself feel better by identifying some area where I was better than the other person.
Why?
Why am I doing this I thought. Like I said I do think highly of myself, and when I let the modesty slide for a bit I recognize I do excel in areas. But, again, what does it matter. Life isn't a competition. There's no prize for being better than or greater than someone or something else. Rewards: money, prestige, fame; those are prizes. :) True enough, but what is the gain to strive for more than another. I could've done the things the other person did to get themselves to where they're at now, but I didn't. It was my choice. Certain things attract my attention more than others, just as certain things attract their attention. We strive towards the things we're attracted to.
There's a certain element of judgment involved here, a grass is greener on the other side. What value do I place on things. How do I choose to view things. Comparisons with another. Why want what I don't want?
The more I think about it desires to be more than another stem from an unacknowledged lack within myself. Being critical of my natural tendencies.
It makes me happy being drawn to write things like this actually. :)