challenges! Competition is unavoidable in our daily lives. Life is a battlefield and nothing ever falls from the sky. This is a winners’ world and second place equals second rate. If you cannot grab the seat you get sore legs; if you cannot laud the job, you have to worry about your rent. You just have to be on top of your game if you must survive in this life.

In my Agricultural Science class I read about the early man and I come to understand at the primitive state of man how competitive we are. That trend has not changed till this day. The primitive man was a great hunter and a warrior and there was huge competition among the men. Whoever has the biggest kill for the day has the first choice to choose the most attractive and strongest woman. He has the crown and the women flocks to him. As a matter of fact he is attractive to them not because he is handsome but because he is the winner. Many researches have revealed that male physical competition, not attraction, was central in winning mates among human ancestors.

As a teenager the girls respond to the best student in class. I remember this so well. You work hard and the gratification if you are first is great. I attended an all-boys school yet the neighbouring girl’s school get the message and respond only to the group of boys that win the academic battle. Today you can see that the competition is still there. Women respond to men with the best cars, fat bank accounts, best clothing style and so forth.

I want you to understand that life is competitive and you are in the game of life not to lose but to keep on winning for you’re born a winner. This competition has nothing to do with being religious. It has everything to do with being human. Humans are very competitive in nature. Even if you don’t like to hear this it is the truth. Life without competition is life without progress. Another truth is the fact that life is not fair. Get used to it. The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself. Life is not fair. It never has been, and it never will be.

We are all created equal but we are all not equal. Some of us work hard to be successful why some have success as a heritage but this does not mean we were not all created equal. There is always someone out there that is more intelligent and successful that you. This is why you should not rest on your laurels but continue to improve and develop your skills so you can improve your life.

Some people are born with powerful advantages. Others are born with crippling disadvantages. For everyone, in different ways and at different times for each person, life is challenging. And although life is not fair, it is dynamic and responsive. Though life is not fair, and though life presents you with endless challenges, you have the opportunity to do something about those challenges. One very important thing you can do is to dream, and use the power of those dreams to triumph even in the face of all the unfairness and the challenges.

Someone told me recently that despite the fact she has been working hard things are not easy with her. I told her things don’t have to be easy for her to be happy and I still feel there is something else she can do. She has not yet exercised the best of her potential. I accept the fact she has worked hard, now she needs to up her game and work harder. So the point is, she has not stretched herself to her limit, she is still within her comfort zone.

You seriously need to work harder for what you want because it won’t come to you without a fight. You have to be strong and courageous and know that you can do anything you put your mind to. If somebody puts you down or criticizes you, just keep on believing in yourself and turn it into something positive.

I see every day of my life as a fight so I go out there to be the best I have been created to be. I prepare in life like I am preparing for an interview and I am leaving no stone unturned as I present myself to be the right person for the job. Every employee is looking for the right person and not the best person. Two difference. There are times you could be the best person for the job but not the right person.

In a job application, employers determine who the right person for the particular role is, through the person’s specification criteria. The list might be endless but it is what is used to determine the right person for the job. They look at:

1. What knowledge, skills, qualifications and experience are essential for a new employee to be able to perform the duties of the position?
2. What attributes must the new employee have to ensure he/she fits the culture of your organization?
3. Do any of your criteria exclude certain groups as prohibited under human rights legislation?
4. Are the criteria specific, measurable and job-related?

The list can be endless depending on the discipline but you need to rise up to the occasion and determine to be the right person not just the best person. So you need to work hard on you to ensure your person’s specification meets the jobs criteria. This is the same in life. You can meet your biggest interview or breakthrough in the grocery shop so you need to be the right person and be prepared. Opportunity is all around but only those that are prepared are the ones that get the opportunity.

You have the responsibility to research what the organization is looking for. I have attended interviews where I was told I was not taken because I was over qualified. Here I was the best person that could do the job but the employer feel I was not the right person. You need to know what qualities they need from the right person and present yourself to be both the best and the right person as this gives you all the advantage.