Life is Not a Race

Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/wooden-desk-with-books-on-top-707196/

Lately, I've been seeing/hearing a lot of comments being made online and in real life that go like this, "She/He's so successful, and I'm just here, in my pajamas, watching TV." Sometimes, the comments go a little further by adding, "Why her/him? She/he doesn't deserve it." Let's all be honest, whenever we see someone (especially those younger than us), we tend to judge them without basis. We question ourselves and ask why we aren't that successful. We also feel bad because they've reached that level of achievement in their life, and we're still in the backseat.

Let me go back to my example. I've heard a lot of people say horrible things about someone they barely knew, only because that person is 1.) younger than them, and 2.) famous. They claim that these people don't deserve that level of success because they're just lucky and they probably paid someone to make them famous. Some people would then say, "I'm better than her/him!" But think about it for a second, please. Would these people continue to be famous if they didn't have talent? Sure, the sad truth is that some people just have the boost that most people don't, lifting them to the level of success that we all desire, but can't we boost ourselves, too?

And why does it matter than she/he is younger? Success does not depend on a person's age.

Going back to the resolution of doing more/succeeding, I think that we might get caught in the mess and turn it into something "bloody" for the sake of fulfilling our resolution. I know that even without setting this resolution, we are all inclined to succeed in any way. Even when we were toddlers, we wanted to be the one chosen by mommy. With all of the people who have the same dreams, passions, aspirations and skills as we do, it's easy to feel competitive. In some cases, we might not even realize that what we're competing for actually isn't something that we love.

Don't get me wrong; competition can both be a dangerous and helpful thing. It can force you to do better, but if taken too seriously, can turn you into a bloodthirsty animal. Why does it matter so much, anyway? Do we really want to be on top? Do we want to prove something to the world, even if "the world" means only a small fraction of the population? Do we need to feel good about ourselves that we end up pushing others down?

Competition shouldn't be taken so seriously. Everyone should have a fair chance at everything. Instead of competing against each other, why don't we just do our best and be happy when our fellow dreamers get the spotlight? The spotlight doesn't focus on one person forever, anyway. Everyone can have his or her time under the light, and we should embrace that. After all, this isn't our life only. Things don't happen exclusively for us.

So what if they're younger and successful? Be happy for them. So what if there are other people who want the same things as you? Help each other so you all can share the reward. If you're wondering why you're "stuck" at where you are, don't use your time on judging the success of others. If you really want to succeed and you have the passion, then you'll find a way.

If we focus on the good and aim for the joy, instead of reaching for so-called success, the world could be a bit brighter. If we all encouraged each other to be our best selves, wouldn't the world be a place glittered with fulfilled dreams?

What I'm saying is, life is not a race. Life should be about focusing on one's happiness while not overshadowing the happiness of someone else. No one's duty is to be more successful or more famous or more talented. I don't even believe in those things. There should be no "more" to things, because in our own ways, we're all something.

In a race, we have to run against people. In a race, we hope they trip on their shoelaces. In a race, we want to tear that ribbon at the end of the line, we want to be number one. But this is life, and you should be the only one running to your ribbon. No one else should be running against you, but they should be on the side, cheering you on.