TV sitcoms have taught us that if someone’s doing better than you at your career, your goal should be to crush them with righteous fury. While that makes for a great story, learning from them will probably help more.
Photo by Daytona.
While there’s nothing wrong with a healthy spirit of competition, you’re missing out on an educational experience if you get bitter at your rivals, rather than learning from them. As advice site The Muse points out, anyone in your field that you feel is doing better than you are probably has something they can teach you:
In other words, my network isn’t a competition; it’s a classroom. Before, I used to think, “This person is so much better, and I need to beat him or her.” Now, if I come across someone doing something that I’d like to do, I think, “This person is doing [thing x] really well. I’m going to steal one great tip from him or her and add it to my arsenal of tips and tricks.”
Of course, it’s still perfectly fine if you want to “beat” your rivals. If your rival just got a promotion and you want to get a better one, go for it! Competition can be a great motivator, but don’t let your pride get in the way. You can still ask your rivals for advice or learn from their strategies.
The Surprising Benefits of a Little Career Jealousy [The Muse]
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