When I was young, I was very competitive. In every aspect of my life, I wanted to be better than others. As I grew older, my body started to not co-operate with me. I slowly gave up being competitive. Yet I was competitive in my mind. I wanted to win the game of mental tug-of-war even with my spiritual Masters. I liked to outsmart them. One day, a change took place within me. “What am I doing all this for—proving someone wrong, outsmarting them, and proving I have more talents than they have? To satisfy my ego?” This was getting me nowhere. Instead, I started to see all the things that others have and I wish I had. I appreciate someone’s patience, which I wish I had. Those who can cook, be organized, sleep few hours, have neat handwriting, never lose their temper, be satisfied, having a loving and caring heart—seeing others able to do things that were my weaknesses became my goal. I cannot even compete with any of these qualities. Now, instead of feeling that I am better than others, I feel I have so much to learn. What do I have ego for when I am behind on everything? Now when someone says they are better than me at basketball, tennis, selling abilities, physical strength, stamina, or whatever subject they choose, it does not bother me. I am just an old, retired, and retarded person who has nothing to prove. My only competition is to increase the number of steps in my movement tracked daily on my iPhone. — Satish Daryanani
