Of course, yes, we all would like to perfect our craft, to be the greatest possible versions of ourselves and venture to the top of the totem pole in our fields. It is where we see our colleagues, peers and friends as adversaries that we lose the value of collaboration and teamwork.
As my family and friends will attest to, I don’t like to lose, I am the most competitive person you will meet and I lack the patience to work in group projects at University (sometimes). However, the power that comes along with collaboration, working together and hoisting each other up instead of pushing each other down exemplifies how our industries will work. I know people who believe that those who don’t achieve high marks should not be offered the same opportunities as those who do, who will break down people because they do not adhere to marking criteria and neglect people’s outstanding work in favour of their worst, always labeling them with the negative implications of their supposed actions.
The thing is, some of the people who haven’t got the best grades are the people who have helped me through my degree in the most impactful ways. These are the people who not only have assisted me in creating multiple awesome things and collaborating on projects that I wouldn’t have accomplished on my own, but pushing me through university every single day, not matter how long these days may be (I get a bit angsty when I run low on food and sleep). They are some of the most determined people that I have met and because of the hardships that they may face outside studying at university degree, they are able to push beyond and achieve amazing things. One person I met in my degree was a Mum who was juggling study, a part time job and motherhood when I can barely make toast and tea at the same time. It motivates me to try my hardest for that little number at the end of each of my subjects. Instead of taring this woman down, letting her sink to the bottom of the pool, drowning in a plethora of commitments, I reached out and tried to help, not by doing her work for her but just talking about subject content and life. Being there for a person can do wonders for your motivation and vice versa, I was inspired by such a strong young woman.
To strive for good marks and to be your best self is one thing, but to commandeer a position on a self created pedestal when you see others as not only your competition, but to the equivalent of animals, I think there is a problem. To attack people’s intellect because you’ve severed ties, are in competition with or blatantly dislike a person in our profession, in our line of study, will result in a harsh wake up call later on. These ARE the people you will be an industry with, they make up the industry, why not assist these people so we can be the best bloody industry in the damn world instead of tearing people down because of their past. The people that I have collaborated with on projects in the past will always have a special place in my heart as they have made me the media professional that I am today, and as I keep growing, I will remember the lessons that they have taught me.
It frustrates me when people only see the negatives, but unfortunately, our highs don’t get noticed as much as our lows. I’m being a pessimistic Capricorn here but I hope that we can all be collaborative to make great things because we are the creators of our future and the only way to make it a great one is to work together. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and the sooner we realise that collaborating with people with strengths that complement ours, the better because creating is fun, but it’s more fun with more people around you.
~ krisesandchrosses ~
krisesandchrosses 