Don't hate the cookie monster

The cookie monster knows there are always
more cookies at the grocery store.

Imagine there is a box of cookies put out for everyone in an office to share.  If one person in the office eats ninety percent of the cookies, leaving the remaining ten percent for you and everyone else to share, would you be upset with the cookie eater?

Did you ever consider that there are always more cookies available…At the grocery store?  Did you consider the fact that cookies are actually available in abundance, and that there are more cookies available, besides the single box of cookies made available at the office?

Why do people seek revenge?  When it comes down to it, usually the reason for revenge seeking is due to a competitive environment that has been established.  As I have written before, most workplace bullying stems from the inflictors feeling that they must compete for limited resources, and the targets of the bullying stand between the inflictor and what they want – a limited supply of resources, usually in the form of power, control, recognition, or something else.  According to Steve Siebold, author of 177 Mental Tough Secrets, he believes that those seeking revenge look at resources as being fixed, rather than in abundance.  This limited-resource mindset defines a set “pool” of resources, which after consumed, leaves nothing else.

With this mentality, if someone feels that someone else depleted the availability of the resources, they feel victimized, taken advantage of, and hurt.  The usual end result is revenge-seeking behavior, because after all, the other person caused the discomfort.

Siebold states, “The great ones know you can’t fight hate with hate. The only power in the universe worth projecting is the power of love. The pros know if they are cheated by an amateur, it’s to be expected, because amateurs act out of fear. Their fear-based consciousness thinks irrationally, so their improper or unethical acts are to be expected. Champions feel empathy for amateurs, because all of the great ones are former amateurs themselves.”

Let’s think like the pros.  Let’s start thinking with a mindset of abundant resources.  There are always more cookies at the grocery store.

Have a great day!

-Victor