“Survival of the fittest” is a term meaning the continued existence of organisms that best adapted to their environment, with the extinction of others who did not. We’ve since used the phrase to describe the person best equipped to succeed or accomplish a goal. I want to focus on this current definition. It is not accurate. There is a plethora of proof that shows this saying isn’t factual. We can use sports, education, or money to prove the point. This saying can put us in a bind. We can get caught up in the motto and get driven to a disadvantage that we wouldn’t have dealt with otherwise.
Say you are the brightest person in college. You are the one your graduating class looks at as a lock to succeed on a high level. The accomplishment makes you the “fittest.” This title means you are a failure if you are not successful. The title also states you are a failure if you are not the most successful in your class. “Our” definition can help certain people but will drive the majority to collapse. They will continue trying something that is not working out because they feel they have to succeed. If they fail, they are a failure. If they are only average, they are a failure. If they quit, you guessed it, failure. This fact can make a super “fit” person see this externally and ask, “What is the point of trying?”
You may think “Is this problem the prize for being well equipped to succeed?” Well, yes. Many of us aren’t well equipped. When someone is “The Chosen One” the rest of us expect nothing but success. The majority fight to succeed in life every day with whatever their shortcomings are. The lack could be money, opportunity, smarts, or physical stature. If the goal is something we want to do, we must deal with the absence and persevere but what would you expect from yourself if you no longer had the deficiencies you carry? Exactly.
We are also way harder on others compared to ourselves. How do average income people feel when they hear of or see a wealthy person struggling with something in life? Trick question. They don’t feel anything because they don’t care. In their opinion, if they had the money the wealthy person did, they wouldn’t have any problems. The well-off person knows this too, which can cause them not to seek any help for their issue. The negligence can cause the problem to grow into a monster.
This lack of empathy is seen a lot in sports. We know what these sports figures make per year. If they don’t live up to that contract, we are jumping on them like we sign the checks. Could you imagine being LeBron James? You come out of high school with people declaring you should be one of the best basketball players to ever play the game. Oh, and if you are not, you’ll be the biggest bust in the history of sports. What a welcome to adulthood, huh?
If he’s still drafted number 1 overall in 2003 and had an 8-year career averaging 10 points, three rebounds, and three assists with three playoff appearances, he’d be a bust. He’d be a failure in the eyes of many. The average NBA career is 4.8 years. Most players don’t play in the games let alone make the playoffs. None of this comes into consideration for individuals who the masses expect to succeed. He is and was one of the exceptions to the rule meeting and exceeding expectations but there are about 20 “should-have-beens” since he entered the league.
The “Survival of the Fittest” outlook seems to do a lot more harm than good. The motto seems to give reason to give little effort if you are not suited to do what you’d like to do. It can also appear to present an ever-moving goal post to succeed on an exponential level. We need to look at our journeys as just that, ours.
We may have everything we need to prosper on the outside looking in. At the same time, we know everyone is missing something and that something can derail even the surest thing. We may not have everything we need to succeed but, that doesn’t mean getting a new dream or aspiration. If everyone who seemed like they weren’t prepared to accomplish a goal didn’t, this world would be 400-500 years or more behind in advancements. Luckily, that is not how it works here on earth. There are no rules and, the underdog pulls through way more than the odds will tell.
In closing, our meaning of survival of the fittest is not accurate. Many variables make the sure thing fail and, the person with slim chances for success succeed beyond belief. Survival of the fittest? Not so much. The will to succeed? It helps but doesn’t guarantee success. What about the ability to persevere? That will keep you going but again no guarantee of the prize.
No one knows what is required for success because it depends. It depends on the person, the circumstance, the timing, the competition, the prerequisites, luck, hard work, opportunity, exposure, amongst other things. You can’t predict success. Instead of asking yourself “Am I the fittest?” or “Will I succeed?” look in the mirror and ask “Why not me?”
Food for thought…You do the dishes!
