Competitiveness

COMPETITIVENESS

"Everywhere today the atmosphere is one of professionalism, efficiency, toughness, competitiveness and lean strength." Ronald Rolheiser Forgotten Among the Lilies

Succeed! We are trained at an early age to become successful. Some parents give us the proper encouragement while others are given a more hardened perspective on how to achieve success. I cannot fully remember how my perspective began, but I know how it has ended up.

God has always blessed me to rise up through the ranks quickly in any job that I have had. I did not know that at the time, but I do now. The job scene molds the competitive nature due to a lack...of positions. The higher up the corporate ladder you climb, the fewer the jobs get. Level of competition rises. Skill and maturity go a long way. The Marine Corps trains men to be efficient, tough, competitive, and of lean strength. Those traits are ingrained into my heart. They have led me to success in this world. Managers like these traits because it saves them money. Money makes the world go round. So, once these worldly traits are on the inside, how do we get them out?

My Savior was a good start. I got saved one year after starting my current job. Two months later, I was promoted. A blessing is what I always considered it. A pat on the back type deal. It seems that I might have just figured out another reason. I have noticed lately that disgruntlement with my job is growing. My job is based off competition. Higher productivity equals more money. Managers are trained to produce the best numbers, usually to the detriment of other managers and the customers. The only consistent way to do this is by making the customers suffer. They are oft times pushed back to later times. Their days are made hectic usually because of the greed that is ground into the management. We are trained to get as much as we can, while the innocents suffer.

For the longest time, I viewed the customers the wrong way. They were the problem(that was my perception). In actuality, we were the problem. The customers pay my check, provide shelter, feed me, and give me a means to fuel up my car! Time is God's greatest weapon I believe. Two years have passed at my job. The views in my head are slowly being changed by the God in my heart. The passion of competition is leaking out of me. The drive to be number one is gone. Joy is lost. A false joy, I should say. My sympathies lie with the customers now. An outsider seems to be my role. I no longer compete. A new aim is to take care of the customer before taking care of myself. Learning to be unselfish. Only God can work these changes. Time combined with His loving Son, Jesus.

I pray that Jesus is the Mighty Conquistador of my heart. Subdue all the territories that the Enemy may still try to hide in! Competition was sown into my heart by the world, but I believe Jesus is a jack-of-all-trades. Not only is He a carpenter, tailoring is right up His alley as well. He will take his seamripper and take care of that irregularity in my heart. Jesus will have a loving affect on our heart so that we might have a lasting effect on the work environment!!

kenny