IT'S NOT HOW FAST YOU RUN

CULTIVATING GROWTH MINDSET

A highly focused and hardworking athlete trying to win /Photo Courtesy /Leandro Boogalu

Not So Fast

The game of life can be intimidating sometimes. The ultra-competitiveness in particular. Threatens people. Life has become so competitive in modern times. And the pressure to be seen is so high. Everyone is fighting for the spotlight. And some people have been tricked to think that moving fast. Or always being on the run is the way of life. As a result, many people have their eyes on the finish line. They want to be the first people to cross that line. They want the applause. And let everyone know that they are very competitive too. They can win. They can run fast. And the most important reality of a highly competitive society is the fact that. Some people want to prove to the world that they can beat the fastest runners of this world. They want society to know that they are as competitive as life can get.

They are ready. Fit and equipped. And only waiting for a challenge from someone.  And when that challenge comes. They are ready to hit the finish line. But is winning the only thing in life? Is it a win that life cares most about? Having a first person emerging from a crowd and winning a competition. Is it a fact or a misrepresentation? You will find time to decipher that. But here is an important fact. Life does not care about who wins first. It also does not care about who is the fastest runner. Or even the most competitive person in the world. Life cares about one thing. It cares about discipline. It is not about how fast you can run. It is always about discipline. It is always about how well you listen. And how you implement those instructions. That is the most important order of business. The ability to follow simple instructions and get something done in the right way.

That is the most important task for every right thinking member of society. To listen and to implement correctly. The focus is not on crossing the finish line first. The emphasis is on getting it right. You get it right by understanding the requirements of every competition. And you only win by fulfilling every expectation in the given competition. Winning in life is not about being fast. Winning is about understanding. And being the right person in a competition. It is not about the pressure. And it is not also about the hyper-competitiveness of modern society. Winning is about calming yourself down. Ridding yourself off pressures. And aiming for clarity. Being objective is more important than being fast. Having wisdom is more important than winning a competition. Those who win in the game of life are thinkers.    

Determined competitors Running fast /Photo /Pixabay

Not the fastest runners. What is the point of being the fastest runner when you are breaking the rules? Will you still win? Or be the fastest runner who does not listen. And when you run faster than listening. Will you be upholding the standards of a competition or disrespecting them? Competition among people will always exist. The desire to be first will always also exist. But not everyone who desires to finish first becomes the winner. Winning is expensive. It demands some level of discipline. A discipline that some people are too impatient to. Winning comes at a cost. And only the right person is willing to pay the price. The right person thinks before taking action. The right person takes time to understand the rules of the game. Because the right person knows that understanding is the responsibility in a competition.

Don’t Finish First

Be a good listener. Process information first. Spend quality time in training first. Learn the value in implementing every simple instruction correctly. There will be many more competitions in life. However, there will not be many active listeners. There will not be many right persons in the competition. So next time you think of being the first to cross a finish line. Determine if you are the right person. Did you follow all the instructions? That is the work. Not the finish line. Anyone can cross the finish line. But the winner must be above board. A winner must check every requirement of a competition. Don’t be so fast. Don’t finish first. Finish correct. Get all the requirements right. The competition is tough. Have the discipline of a winner. Because the lesson is not in the win itself. But rather how you won.

Hyper competitive individuals in a competition /Photo /Andrea Piacquadio 

There were a lot of people in the competition. And each one of them wanted to win. But you won first. So how did you win? That is the question everyone who was in the same competition as you would like to know. And your win will either inspire people or break people. So focus on how you win. That is what life cares most about. Listen first. And only start running when you fully understand what you are doing. That is what life demands from every competitor. People should only enter a competition. After they understand what it takes to be in that competition. Don’t enter a competition because everyone around you joined one. Participate in a competition because you want to. Forget about the pressure. Leave peer pressure alone. Be your own person. And start thinking. Nothing will push you into anything. If you don’t want to do anything. 

Don’t create excuses. You are somewhere because you wanted to be there. You entered the competition because you wanted to be in a competition. Now focus on the right things. Don’t get obsessed with being the fastest runner. The fastest runners that you are competing against earned that title. Find wisdom. Life will not pressure you do anything. You must be your own person to become anything in life. Begin with a vision. And tell us how you will implement the vision. Only after you know how to dream. And how to break down that dream into real actionable activities, will you win a competition. Don’t enter a competition foolish. The finish line is not the only thing in a competition. There are a lot of things in life. See everything. See everyone. That way, you will make a worthy competitor.