I Win, You Win

Competition in life is inevitable.

From an early age, we’re conditioned to win, top the test, cross the finish line first.

Oftentimes, there’s only one winner. Think of a 100m sprint or a game of poker. You win when your competitors lose.

We’re trained to think that’s how life works. But life isn’t sport or a game of cards. In life, there are multiple winners.

My happiness doesn’t impede your ability to find happiness too. Your pay increase doesn’t stop me from getting my own salary bump. Me building an audience on social media doesn’t stop you from doing the same.

We know this to be true. Unfortunately, it’s become too easy to compare lives.

Open Facebook or Instagram and you’re served a non-stop highlight reel from friends, family, celebrities and complete strangers. These carefully curated moments remind us that no matter what you’ve got, someone always has more.

So we fall back into earlier patterns. If they’re winning, we must be losing, right? Jealousy leads to unhappiness. Some find it impossible to celebrate others’ success.

But life isn’t a zero-sum game. You’re not losing when someone else is winning.

We’re not all fighting for one first-place ribbon.

We can all win together.