But here’s the thing:  Humans are made to strive.  Each of us has ambitions to become more, to achieve, to develop, to grow.  It seems to be that instinct which causes us to want to get more at the expense of others.  It’s a win-lose game, ultimately ending up as lose-lose when those others start reacting to what I’ve done to them.

In my mind, this is one of the basic challenges we’ve been given in this life.  We’re meant to learn how to grow and achieve while helping others to do the same.

Easy?  No.  But life is not easy.

I find it interesting, too, that generally other people will respond in kind.  When I help others to achieve, they’ll help me – often more generously than I ever would have expected.  Call it karma if you like; it doesn’t really matter.

So here’s the challenge I give you, and myself, for 2012:  Let’s work on how to learn, grow, and achieve, while helping others to do the same.  Never at the expense of others, but in aid of others.

I don’t generally make New Year’s Resolutions – I find it a bit artificial and pointless.  Instead, let’s work together to make 2012 a year where we at least can bring peace and collaboration to our little corners of the planet.

It’s hard to know how to bring peace to 7 billion people in the world.  But to the fifty people I’ll affect most this next year?  I’ll give it a shot.

Do you want to help?

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