In the midst of these exciting 2012 London Olympic Games I got to thinking about the derivation of our human desire to compete with our fellow man ……
I believe our human competitive mind-set has evolved naturally from the survival instinct. Human survival instinct is incredibly strong- we want to survive at all costs. When in that mind-set it is easy to see the environment and other humans as potential threats to our safety and survival. In much earlier times this instinct served us well, it was a prerequisite and necessary for our survival in the world we then inhabited. That mind-set has continued to develop along with our cultural and technological advances.
In today’s world there is still very much a “survival of the fittest” and “every man for himself” attitude. The problem with this mind-set in our modern world is that it’s causing widespread misery, stress and disease.
However, we have a choice, it doesn’t need to be like that…
Competitiveness is also about power and we could start using our energies in a co-operative and constructive manner, all pulling together so that collective goals are more easily achieved. We are seeing more and more people in the World who are motivated to help and support ‘the whole’ rather than just themselves. I believe that we are at the beginning of a major new paradigm, a major worldwide shift in consciousness.
So if you’re tired of pouring all your energies into trying to be “better” and more “successful” than everyone around you, but still never really being happy, maybe it’s time to stop and have a re-think. Maybe it’s time to stop and do something about it.
True happiness doesn’t come from having status, wealth and possessions. True happiness arrives from being a certain way. Being happy requires only two things: health and peace of mind, when you have both of these then something primary shifts within you. You may then find that you are no longer willing to strive and compete at the expense of your fellow man.
Go on …… try if you can, not to imagine all seven billion of us pulling in the same direction.
Jacqueline
Please feel free to leave your comments below …..
