I sometimes feel the world is made for lions and tigers and I am more like a gazelle. Well, more like some less gregarious creature I guess. I'm tired of the competition, scrutiny, comparison, criticism... I am not better, smarter or more deserving of a good career or job than anyone else. But to get those, you must prove you ARE. You must leave those other just as deserving (or more) people in your dust or wake. I once was offered a promotion and I talked/rationalized my way out of it because my friend at work was also vying for the job. He was about to be a father and needed more stable hours. How could I take the job over him when he truly needed it? I was single with no responsibilities. Even though my current job was killing me mentally and physically, I let him have it. But being considerate does not a career make. I know it's just an isolated anecdote, but it is also who I am deep down inside. It seems any job or career is full of these double bind situations that give you little alternative but to compromise one's true integrity to keep one's sanity or a paycheck.