There's been a common theme in my life that I've experienced in the workplace, athletics, relationships, and pretty much every category of life.
People are either completely for themselves, or completely for the good of others.
There are no in-betweeners—it's literally at the core of who we are in our hearts.
That is the scary thing.
In a relationship, if this little detail is overlooked by someone, it can be very harmful. On the athletic court, is causes disharmony in a team and even division. At work, people like this don't have your back, and it's the reason companies and organizations aren't productive.
Selfish people can hide really easily. They can make it look like they are out for the team. They can make it look like they are really trying hard. And worst of all, they can make it look like they are investing in your life, but only when you have something to offer them.
This picture really brings my point to life.
One of the most ironic things about the human race is sometimes opposites attract. We've all heard the saying. But it's really true. The people who are completely selfless befriend people who are completely full of themselves?
Why?
We don't know. In the same sense, people who are selfish want to befriend the selfless because it's convenient, and it's not a lot of work. The selfless end up having the short end of the stick in the relationship.
So what category do you fall in?
This was a hard question for me to answer. At first, I was self-righteous, and I claimed the selfless group. However, I took a deeper look at myself, and I realized most of the time, I'm out for convenience—it's human nature.
It's human nature to be selfish. That's why selfless people are hard to find. I'm talking about truly selfless, not just the act of selflessness when it's convenient.
Honestly, do you fall into the selfless category or the selfish category?
If you can truly identify yourself as one of these selfless gems, be aware of friendships like this. They will leave you high and dry, and soon you will get used to people just using you. It might turn you bitter, and you could very well become just like them.
If you came to the rough conclusion that I did, it's okay. That is the first step to selflessness. I still struggle with selfishness, it doesn't go away overnight. Be when you are intentionally striving to be selfless, it consumes your heart, and your actions will follow accordingly.
Don't do life for convenience.
Do life to be challenged.
Love others.
