“Don’t blow off another’s candle for it won’t make yours shine brighter.” –Jaachynma N.E. Agu
Competition. Since I was a kid, it was always front and center in everything I did. Competition with my siblings for my parents attention; competition with the other kids in class for the highest grades; competition even for who got to board the bus first to the point that my mother had to post a daily schedule with the order.
Competition is a part of our lives every day. In our work lives, in our communities and sometimes even within our families. It is very prevalent in the animal rescue world sometimes to such an extent that we have had many passionate and qualified people leave the field due to the negativity and drama that is a constant factor.
In my “day” job as an IT professional for a Fortune 75 company, I have my own personal credo that I live by. Just something I came up with to guide my own career advancement and to remind me of how I want to be known. My credo is that I will not step on someone else to get where I want to go. It doesn’t mean I do not try and it certainly does not mean I am not going to strive for my goals, it just means I will not intentionally step on someone else or to reference the quote I cited above, attempt to blow out their candle, in order for mine to shine brighter.
I also use my credo to guide how I run Doobert and how I conduct my animal rescue activities. It reminds me that we are all working towards the same purpose; to ensure every animal is given the chance to live and to be treated with respect, care and compassion. I have yet to meet someone in animal rescue that intentionally does not believe in those core principles despite the negativity, drama, or competition that may present itself.
Having your own credo or motto is important because it can remind you of the type of person you want to be or to become. It can remind you how you got to where you are or guide you in your quest for your life’s fulfillment.
