There are two ways to think about achievement and the idea of getting ahead:
Perhaps it’s a race. Getting ahead means beating the competition.
But perhaps it’s simply an effort to move forward. A rising tide lifts all the boats, and if you want your boat to have plenty of water under it, that’s far more effective than trying to push all the other boats down.
If we play games where we can win without others losing, we’re more likely to succeed.
Luxury goods are based on scarcity. If everyone had a Birkin bag, it wouldn’t be worth much.
But luxury goods don’t really matter that much, particularly if the culture we’re in is struggling.
The most resilient and effective form of achievement is the resilience and peace of mind that comes from knowing that our work is contributing to a culture that is moving forward. Not so others lose, but so we find a place that feels like winning.
Abundance scales. Scarcity never does.