Most people are out there to help and not to hurt you
Have you ever had the feeling that people are out there to get you? To hurt you in some kind of way? That most people we encounter are selfish and they would always put themselves first and help you as little as possible? I have had this feeling many times in my life. I guess it has something to do with my upbringing. For my father, my siblings and I were always supposed to be better, more intelligent and stronger than everyone else. This created a competitive mindset that is also linked to many insecurities. Being the best makes you want to prove yourself all the time. You cannot see the good in others, especially when they are performing at a high level. You think they will judge you, try to perform better than you to hurt your status, personality or how other people see and perceive you.
most people want to help
If we ask a hundred people, most of them will say that they always try to help their fellow human beings. On the other side, if we ask them if they believe that others also try to help their fellow human beings a big percentage would say “no”. Generally, humans see themselves as altruistic, selfless, but others as selfish. I guess we could accept seeing oneself in a better light than others as a normal character trait. Nevertheless, this notion can reach dangerous levels if it turns into paranoia. One step to the right direction is communication.
Communication unveils the mystery
The prerequisite for seeing the good in other people is communication. When you walk around with the thought that others want to harm you, you automatically keep a safe distance between yourself and them. The only thing that can counter that is communication. Going up to people will reveal their true character and make you see that they are not hiding some conspiracy to bring you down.
In the academic and professional sphere, going up to people will help you improve your skills and expand your knowledge. Seeing the good in people will take the feeling of danger away. “He knows more than I do? Then I need to have a conversation with him and learn the things that he knows.” This is the only thought that should cross your mind, because it is productive and it will help you improve in life. This is something that I have not done in the past. I started retreating more and more into myself. “I will learn those things by myself and prove that I am better.” This process only strengthened my anxiety and the pressure I put on myself. I should have just found a way to communicate and start a conversation with him on the topic that I wanted to know more about.
conclusion
Putting your own ego away and realizing that most people live their lives trying to help others whenever they can will help you improve in every field. Communication is one important aspect of that. Go up to people in good faith and exchange knowledge and wisdom.