Barr. Sam Hart
On the face value of it, there is nothing wrong with having a competitive spirit as it motivates you to strive to be good at whatever you do and to ensure that you’re not left behind.
But it becomes dangerous when it rules your life and becomes your sole motivation for everything you do. Winning becomes a matter of life and death for you and you don’t care who’s ox is gored.
You may win quite alright. You may become successful in life but at what cost? Is it worth it in the end?
From personal experience, I’ll share traits of people with destructive competitive spirit so you can identify them when you see them around you.
- They will seek you out and befriend you if they covet the success you have. They start off as friends and meek collaborators. You open up to them and show them your ways. Then they are no longer comfortable being equals with you. They want to surpass you and they will do everything possible to achieve their goals. They will double-cross you, betray you, lie against you, turn your friends against you and use the same platform you exposed them to to go ahead of you to usurp your space and topple you.
- They don’t share the limelight. Nope. They’re not comfortable with sharing accolades with anyone. They want all the accolades for themselves and will do everything possible to diminish your efforts and amplify their own so they can be the ones receiving all the accolades. It is just the way they are.
- They are schemers. They start off meekly coming around you and even doing errands for you. They penetrate your circle and develop relationships with all your contacts. Once they feel that they have learnt your ways, they discard you, viciously go behind your back and pull deals with those same contacts you introduced them to without your knowledge and seek to take over everything you were doing.
- They are bereft of scruples. Zero conscience. For them, their ultimate goal is personal glory and whatever treachery and wickedness it takes, they are willing to pay. They have sold their souls to the devil for vainglory and they don’t give a damn.
- They don’t build lasting friendships. They have betrayed everybody who was once their friend. They don’t linger. They are snakes. Once they get what they want from their fake friendship with you, they move on to the next prey. Nobody who knew them in the past has anything good to say about them. Are they your friends today? Watch out, you’re their next victim.
- They are insecure, small-minded and petty. They struggle for everything. No bar is too low for them. What you will overlook, they will hold unto and use to build a plot to harm you. EVERYTHING is competition for them.
- They are social climbers. They want to befriend all your big friends. They want to go wherever you go. They want to know everyone you know. They form over-familiarity with all your friends and attach themselves to the friendship. It’s a prelude. Very soon, they will spoil you before those your friends and position themselves as the one to come to.
- Everyone is expendable to them. They have zero loyalty. They have zero morals. They are stone-hearted. Once they get what they’re looking for from you, they discard you like a piece of used rag. They have the kind of heart you and I don’t have. Obi taara ha mmiri. They are sycophants singing the praises of their current victim and biding their time. Once an opportunity presents itself, or once they have gotten what they want from you, they climb on your head to move to the next person.
- They are ‘smart’. They are not fools. They know what they’re doing. They apply every trick and guile possible to get to where they are going. They are cunning. They lie and scheme their way into everything and before you say jack, they are everywhere. But how smart are they really?
- They are lonely. At the end of the day, because they have scammed and betrayed everybody, they are sad, pathetic, hollow beings. All that competition and ‘winning’ still doesn’t make them feel worthwhile. Don’t envy them. Pity them.
What to do? Do not become like them. Discard them when you notice these traits. They are cowards. Once you notice what they’re up to, hit them hard and they’ll scurry away. They are beneath you. Keep them there and move on.
May God continue to protect us from evil people.
Udo diri unu.
S.H
