After a few minutes, I was only about a hundred yards behind - again I picked up the pace and pushed myself. You would have thought I was running the last lap of the London Olympic games. I was determined to catch up with him... and finally, I did! I caught up and passed him by. On the inside it felt so good... "Yes, I beat him!" Of course, he didn't even know we were racing! Then I realised that I had so focused on competing with him that I missed my turn. I had gone nearly six blocks past my direction, now I must turn around and go all the way back to my own path.
Isn't that what happens in life when we focus on competing with others? Colleagues, neighbours, peers, associates, friends, relatives, family et al, trying to outdo them? We spend so much of our time and energy chasing after them, trying to prove that we are more successful or more important, and we miss out on our own path to greatness... our God-given destiny.
The problem with unhealthy competition is that it is a never ending cycle. There will always be someone ahead of you. Someone with a better job, nicer car, more money, higher education, better opportunity, better... better... and better. The grass, they say, is always greener on the other side. Or so it seems? Take a closer look. "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain we can take nothing out of it." (1 Tim 6:6-7). Should you then settle for mediocrity? No, by all means, pursue excellence but with wisdom. "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting get understanding." (Prov 4:7)
Mark D. Roberts writes: "In junior high, a boy named Andrew...was the classic nerd: overweight...thick glasses...skin so white it seemed he'd never been outside. One day some of the boys began teasing Andrew and making fun of his appearance...I saw the pain in his eyes and knew I should tell the other guys to knock it off. But I saw an opportunity to be aligned with the in-crowd. So I joined in...adding my taunts as Andrew began to cry...In my heart I knew I'd done a terrible thing...Sometimes the temptation to 'follow the crowd' is almost more than we can bear. We crave acceptance to such an extent that we do what we know is wrong so others will like us. This is true not only for insecure junior high boys, but for just about everybody." Truth is, when you know who you are, it frees you from the need to impress. Too many folks buy things they can't afford, with the money they don't have, to impress people they don't like, for a reason they don't even know.
Only realise that you can be the best that only you can be. You are not competing with anyone. In the words of Frederick Perl, "I do my thing, and you do your thing. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it’s beautiful."
Albeit, some are so fixated that they pay too much attention to what others are doing, wearing, eating, driving, or where they are going. Take the time to love yourself. Its called self-esteem. "The time spent in trying to impress others could be spent in doing the things by which others would be impressed." ― Frank Romer
Take what God has given to you... your height, weight, looks, intellect, and personality: use them, and you will be blessed by them. "For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." (2 Cor 10:12)
"As for worrying about what other people might think, forget it. They aren't concerned about you. They're too busy worrying about what you and other people think of them." ― Michael le Boeuf
Are you stressed out and restless? Get off the bandwagon called Rat Race.
Richard O
January 9, 2014 at 2:18am
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