Every child understands one economic principle. It’s the principle of scarcity of resources. I learned this as it applies to pizza.
Whenever my parents would order pizza, it seemed like there was never quite enough for each of us Malm children to have our fill. So in order for me to get as much pizza as I wanted, I had to make sure I got it before my brother did. Or if I wanted the pieces that had the most pepperoni, I had to go for those first or trick my siblings into grabbing the cheese-only slices.
Scarcity of resources is the principle that in order for me to have something, it means that you can’t have it. If there are only a million dollars in the world, and I want to be a millionaire, nobody else can have any money. Depressing, no?
We learn this principle early on, and it causes us to look at what others have. At what others do. If they have something, that probably means we can’t have it. If they do something, it probably means we can’t do it.
And while the economic principle is true, it doesn’t apply to everything we think it does. For instance: happiness. Your happiness doesn’t mean I have less of it. In fact, I’ve found the happier I make you, the happier I get. Happiness isn’t an economic resource. It’s a vital resource. There’s no scarcity of vital resources.
I believe the same is true of our dreams. You accomplishing your dream doesn’t keep me from accomplishing mine. My dream is different than yours. It’s not like there are only two dreams in the world…first come first served.
That’s why we don’t have to look at what other people do and feel inferior or jealous. Their success, their failures, or their attempts at their dream in no way affect us. This isn’t a competition. This isn’t a scramble for a slice of pepperoni pizza.
Stop comparing yourself to others. Rejoice when people accomplish their dream. Rejoice when people are happy. When they succeed. These are vital resources that are contagious. They spread. Embrace it and pursue your own dreams, happiness, and success. Then share the wealth.
