Everyone wants to be on the top of their game, an expert in their field, the world best in our domain and the reference in our sphere of influence. Well, that is what I think and hope for myself (though we are not going to talk about the fact that I don’t put in the work needed… yet). Not just for the money, though it goes without saying that the money will follow, but for the prestige as well.
Knowing that books will make mention of us, the best clients will seek us out first with the right amount that suits our ego and we would have crossed the struggling stage of the art. Funny enough, in man’s seemingly blameless, natural appetite and greed, we always want to stay on the top, forgetting that the climb is often easier than staying on top.
Being the best and a reference means people learn from you. They watch your every step closely, learn from your moves, identify the cracks in your wall, attempt filling the cracks when working on their own projects, reverse engineer your moves and what have you.
Their dream as well is to be the best there is, be on top of their game, become the new reference shake hands with you and invite you to a lunch date. At the end of the day, we live a life of always fighting teeth and nail to be on top and push whoever dares share the spotlight with us(“us” is not the best pronoun here, but you get my point.
We tend to forget that not more than a while ago, we were like them. Striving ever so earnestly to reach the top. But what if someone was was so hellbent on pushing us off every time we neared the top. What if knowledge, tips and guidelines to being the best were never shared, will we ever have gotten to the top even though we put in the necessary work and supplementary hours?
So instead of trying to be that champion outdoing others to stay on top, why don’t you try being that champion who tries to outdo who he/she was yesterday and be the best version of yourself today. Find ways to be better at your art than you were yesterday.
Don’t be grieved if someone else succeeds in becoming first sending you down the ladder, rather congratulate and learn from the person. Studying the innovations made and learn what the one did better than you.
At the end of the day, to whom much is given, much is expected. The top is a dandy spot, but rarely ever a static one, be sure to make the most of it for the long run while it is yours.
