From Competition to Creativity

We live in a competitive society but in business and life competition doesn’t truly serve us. When we focus on what the competitors are up to rather than what we’re up to, we become copiers rather than innovators, reactive rather than proactive. Authentic competition is the passion to improve and better yourself for greater service. False competition is about beating others and doing whatever it takes to win. Win what?

How can you be more creative, innovative, and self fulfilled? What improvements can you make in your lifestyle, attitudes, and actions that will help you move into the kind of life you’d like to create for yourself and others? Do you have to beat someone to attain this or simply improve your own awareness, skills, competencies, and commitments to growth and change? Which would best serve you and the rest of creation?

Competition encourages snap judgments and discourages seedling ideas and projects that need ripening time. Creativity requires drifting, pondering, experimentation, and ripeness. False competition focuses on short term gains which usually result in long term losses. Creativity allows for short term losses that can result in long term gains.

I remember a moment in time when my son was six years old learning to play soccer with other six year olds. I also remember the coach yelling at the kids in a match because they were more interested in the butterflies and their natural surroundings than competing with others to kick a ball down the field. I was proud of my creative non competitive son and his friends. He didn’t last long in team sports. He was a creator.

As I look out from the tiny perspective of my life I see competitive behavior cutting at the quick of our natural inquisitiveness, interconnectivity, and compassionate caring. We continue to train our children to be winners and losers rather than inspired learners and lovers. How creative is it to measure a persons worth by their ability to out perform another in any area of endeavor? Is it not more creative and productive to encourage and empower everyone to be their best and brightest self?

I’m looking at a flower that presently sits in a small vase on my desk. It’s beauty is perfect in itself. Do I want to compare it to other flowers I’ve seen? No, I’m appreciative of its presence and individual uniqueness. When I see you, do I want to compete with you or even compare myself to you? Only if it’s done collaboratively and with the idea that we’ll both learn, grow, and become better creators through the experience.

From my perspective real learning comes from curiosity which transforms competition to creativity. This fosters inspiration and innovation for further discovery and discernment. In collaborative service with yourself, others, and the greater good; love, light, life, and mystery merge. This creativity changes everything, including you.