Being surrounded by highly competitive colleagues can be overwhelming and challenging…  especially the recognition seeking over-achiever type that is quick to undermine others to promote their own agenda.  While having these colleagues can be incredibly annoying and draining there is an aspect of having a competitive colleague which can really keep you on your toes.  Knowing that there is someone who wants what you have and who is just waiting for you to slip up so that they can shine, can motivate you to be on-guard and buttoned up when it comes to work and career matters, pushing you beyond your perceived best.

While it can be downright frustrating to compete for projects which offer visibility and self-promotion/progression on a daily basis, remember to bring your focus back to you.  Think about what it is you desire in life.  Give yourself time to reflect on your journey, your priorities and concerns, and what you want to see when you look back on your life.  Do you want to see someone struggling, or do you want to see someone who is making the best of every situation.  While the thought of watching that colleague squirm as you shine in a meeting can be the stuff daydreams are made of, make an effort to handle such situations from a place of passion for your work and your poise, dignity and authenticity will automatically show.  Now that is the stuff that will get you recognized and promoted and helps you rise above any feelings of self-doubt, insecurity and fears of failure.

Some colleagues try to get ahead by publicly undermining others to further their own agenda. Well, realize that if someone undermines you or puts you down, he/she is likely trying to make up for some type of inadequacy they see within themselves.  No good person puts others down for the fun of it unless he has something he hates about himself.  They say that the faults you see in others are actually fault you recognize within yourself.  If you are aware of this, you can recognize the things your intuition is urging you to change about yourself and improve your life and self-acceptance, because face it, if you are honestly content and secure with yourself, you will care less about judging others and others judging you.

While it can be easy to get pulled into the arena – being drawn to play the game and compete with the goal of bringing ‘em down! The game gets old and you may end up losing credibility or even yourself in the process. Think about what you can learn from this situation and this person.  Look at different perspectives and see where you can find an opportunity to grow.  Stressful situations are put in our lives for us to learn from.   Who knows, maybe the situation was put there to push you to reach out to a mentor for guidance on this situation and, in the future, to provide advice to someone who is in the midst of a similar situation.

The more successful you get, the more visible your achievements and the higher you rise, the more you have to deal with envious, jealous, competitive and insecure people.  Take it as a compliment when others start to compete with you or put you down.  They do it because they see something in you that frighten them – something that they know they cannot match no matter how hard they try, so getting in your head is their only hope of fulfilling their superiority complex. The other person will eventually burn out or get tired of competing with someone they just cannot bring down and they will move on to the next perceivably weak-minded individual that they can get a rush from beating down.  Do yourself a solid and rise above those who saunter in the darkness of greed, inequity and hate/disrespect.

A career is about pursuing your passions with perseverance, resilience, and respect and gaining experience throughout the journey. Stay strong and focused, don’t do anything for recognition, and be secure in your role, your goals and yourself. Keep moving forward, doing your best, following your dreams and don’t look back.