The world tells us to grasp what you can, get more than the other-- it can be money or virtue, this world's goods or the other world's goods. Be attentive or otherwise you will lose what you have. Don't let it be taken and make sure your taking. We have heard this from early years. From the time in school to college we have heard the need to compete.
Real education does not teach us to compete but to cooperate. Fight to be first is not what is taught. Do not compare yourselves with others, Be a creator, a person who loves, be a happy person. Be better than another be number one, and be happy, is not what is being taught.
You will not absolutely not be happy being number one. Being number one will require a great deal of hardship, and in the process your body will be accustomed to this. To become a president or statesman will require a lot of hardship. That hardship becomes a second nature. That is all that is known. Worry and anxiety have become a way of life. You have become number one but you are impatient, fearful, you can't change the desire to be number one.
Real education does not teach you to be number one. Whatever you do the results are not important you are meant to enjoy what you are doing. That is what the artist aspires to. There are two ways to paint. One is to imitate another person but than what you paint becomes a style of another, you are imitating. It is not you that is painting. You want to be recognized as an artist. In this case you are not absorbed in what you are doing, and will not enjoy what you are doing. You are only interested in success. You are on an ego trip.
A real artist has to rid herself of the ego. He needs to get rid of the desire to be famous and selfishness, and lose oneself in the painting. It is then that the beauty of the universe will enter into the painting, and your brush and hands will make something beautiful. Egoism will not help you to make a masterpiece but without ego and with abnegation you will have what is necessary. Jesus reminded us of this with: the first will be last and the last first.
