thought of the day

There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.
~Ernest Hemingway

Few years ago, I was telling a friend about how my work was starting to take a toll on me, no thanks to the people I was working with. It was so stressful to the point that it became a competition. To which he asked me:

why do you see the need to oust him? why can't you just do your best and hope for the best instead? 

It was a word of wisdom that I didn't quite expect to come out from someone who thinks drinking at least half the week away while still holding a Monday to Friday job is normal, no where near alcoholism. His words struck me with shame and later on, I resolved to put my petty differences aside and just give it my best shot.

While there are still some kinks to iron out, that advice has somehow done me good. At least on the conscience side. At least I am no longer trying to make people look bad.

Some people are just gifted in that sense.

As how I told a a former manager many years ago:

you hire people who make me look good. 

Pompous. Arrogant. Boastful. I may not be particularly good at what I do but I make sure to do the best I could. Of course, when your best is someone's shitty at worst, time to reorganize your efforts. Or maybe just find something that you are good at. The fact of life is very rarely do you ever get to do something that puts ham on the table and doesn't make you dread waking up to. You could either embrace that your life is going to be shitty or you could do something to turn it around.

Managing stakeholders. Their expectations.