The Greater Good

For the past three weeks I have been attending a movie rehearsal. By my origin, I suit more than anyone for a particular role. Everyone including me convincingly thought I'll play the role.

Just two days ago, someone who hasn't come for rehearsals before, who hasn't experienced the pains of commitment on the job, someone from nowhere showed up and unconsciously took the role from me. She did it so well that the crowd couldn't cheer any louder. Deep inside my heart, I knew she was better at it than me. I knew if anyone could pull that role perfectly, it was her. It was so glaring, there was no doubt about how bright she shun playing that role. It was as if she was born to do it.

But then I thought to myself, "she just took my role. The role i have worked so hard on, she just dashed in and snatched it." I began to fear and felt terrible.

To add salt to injury, a group of concerned friends called me aside to express how hurt and disappointed they were, that someone from nowhere came in and stole my spot light. They urged me to do everything i can to eradicate her.

For hours, those words sinked. The thought that I wasn't good enough, thus giving someone else the chance to take my place, pierced my heart.

The time, energy and resources I invested on the job and how they were all going to amount to nothing, suddenly nursed depression, regret, and hatred in me. I started seeing my competitor as an enemy that should be eradicated by any means necessary or unnecessary.

Then for a second, I stopped and thought, "which would I rather prefer, to take up a role that i can't deliver and then mess up the entire job, or to let the shoes be worn by whom it fits?

Which would be better, to satisfy my selfishness or to protect the greater good?

Indeed, it is better to minor in something successful than to major in a failure.

I came to a resolution, the best and right thing to do was not to fight but to allow, not to criticize but to encourage, not to hate, but to love and support my competitor? It didn't matter how much time, resources and energy I had invested, all that mattered is who can deliver, who does it better. So I let go of the need to fight, and all that resentment, hatred, pains and regrets that would have consumed me, disappeared. I felt better and more energized. My eyes got opened to other roles that i was better at and I got to work in a direction i best handled.

Often times you've been faced with scenarios like this, where someone better than you shows up and threatens to take your place.

Often times, you've tried to fight, lobby to retain what you can't best handle.

Often times you've criticized, condemn, become enemies with someone simply because they were better than you in a thing.

Often times, you've rather focused on reaping your many days, weeks, months or years of labour and commitment, than let the best hand handle the job.

Often times, you've cared little or nothing for the greater good of your organization, family, community or country.

Never try to hold onto something you aren't fit to handle.

That you can't do a particular thing well, doesn't mean you can't do anything else well.

Holding on to something you're not good in, will not only cause failure, but will hinder your chances of recognizing and exploring the things you're good in.

The sooner you let go of something you're not good in, the sooner you'll take a hold of something you're better in.

Stepping down or aside, for some one who does it better than you is not giving up, it is maturity, bravery, selflessness, understanding, acceptance and love. It is being more focused on the greater good than on your own selfish interest.

Remember, it is better to minor in something successful than to major in a failure.