Twelve years ago, I interviewed for a hospital admin fellowship in San Francisco.
Another candidate and I flew in on the same day. We met at the airport and were taken to the hotel. This was novel to me. I had never met my competitors for a job. It gave us time to size each other up.
The other guy was a smooth-talking JD/MBA student from Florida. He didn't understand California healthcare. Florida Man didn't even know what medical foundations were. Yet what he lacked in health industry knowledge, he made up in the gift of gab. In my mind, he was all show and no substance. The wheeling-and-dealing type who would say what he needs to get what he wants - or so I assumed.
But you know what they say when you assume.
During check-in, the hotel said his stay included a complimentary breakfast. For some reason, mine didn't. Truth was, it didn't matter because the company was going to feed us. It just seemed unfair.
The next morning, we met in the lobby. He redeemed his meal voucher and came out carrying a small box. We were in a hurry, so he hadn't touched the food when a driver picked us up for our interviews.
As the car stopped at a red light, he rolled down the window and yelled, "Yo, Brooklyn!" To my surprise, he indicated for a homeless man in a BKLYN cap to shuffle over, and he gave the man his food.
Well, didn't I feel ridiculous? There I was internally grumbling that I didn't get some overpriced hotel food I didn't need. And he just gave his portion away. I respected that. Whatever his skills and qualifications, I was wrong about my competitor. He was indeed a person of substance.
While each of us are the protagonists of our own stories, so too are our competitors in theirs. And many of them are good, decent people - not just faceless challenges to overcome, not just ruthless opponents to defeat. Don't assume. Don't dismiss. Don't envy. Just do better.