What would you do if you found $100?
You're walking around one day.
Minding Your Business.
Working Very Hard for Your Livelihood.
Not Receiving Enough for the Work You Put In.
Then, suddenly...
It's there.
$100 Bill on the ground.
Staring You in the Face.
What do you do?
You Know that You Work Really Hard in Your Life.
You Deserve Something for Everything that You Do in the World.
Taken for Granted.
Pushed Beyond Your Limits Without Recognition.
You're Certainly More Deserving than Others that You Know.
Would Anyone Care about the $100?
It is Right There.
No one seems to be saying anything.
No one may notice at all.
You could really Use that Money.
For your Debts.
For your Family.
To Treat Yourself.
What would you do in that Situation?
...Would You Really?
See, most people will say something like, "I would at least try to see if it was someone else's!"
Or, there is also the answer of, "I would pick it up, but not say anything. You know there are a lot of dishonest people out there! I would just wait to see if anyone is looking for something."
But the Truth is that most people will Say whatever is "Proper".
However, they may not always "Do" what is Proper.
So, I'm not asking You to tell "Me" what you would do.
What I'm asking is for you to Honestly Ask "Yourself" What You Would Do?
The reason I'm posing this question is that I had a situation today that Morally is "Similar".
There is a Platform that I Publish to that has a Point and Ranking System.
On the Platform, there is a Weekly Leaderboard where you can "Rise in the Ranks".
Now, I believe I'm a pretty decent writer...
I Hope that with over 2 Years Straight of Daily Writing and Publishing, I've Improved Along the Way!
But, I also Know that there are some "Incredibly" talented Writers on that Platform that I "Compete" Against Regularly.
It is not "Really" a Competition to me, and the Truth is that I Love to See those Writers get Recognized.
They Deserve It.
They are Really Talented.
I personally Read their Work and Enjoy It Tremendously.
People Like (Yes, I'm going to Link a Few of my Favorites Here):
This is just a short list, and I couldn't include everyone.
So what actually happened today?
Well, I saw where I was in the Ranking System for this Week.
It was not "High", but I feel my Placement was Fair.
My Attentions have been Focused on the Nervous System Certifications I've been going through, My Paid Newsletter, and an Exciting Business Opportunity that I will be letting Everyone Know More about as Plans are Solidified.
I went into a Meeting and when I came back to the Platform, I saw something Strange.
I had "Jumped Up" multiple places in the Ranking System.
Someone had given me a "Lot" of Points.
Way More Points than would be Physically Possible from Truly Reading My Articles.
You could say I'd been Given my Metaphorical "$100".
Is a Jump like that Beneficial?
Absolutely.
There does seem to be a Correlation between "Where" You Rank each week and How Many Points You Receive.
This is Not "Surprising" as New Writers are Certain to "Look At" Whoever is Trending at the Time.
That is just Human Nature.
But here's the thing...
I Did Not Earn That Jump.
Do I work Hard?
Absolutely.
Do I Deserve Points?
I like to Believe So.
But that is also Not for me to Decide.
However, I also Believe that "How" You Receive Something is Important.
In this specific situation, I Did Not Earn that Placement.
Here's where the Rubber Meets the Road.
What Do You "Do" About It?
First, I went to the Team behind the Platform.
I told them what appeared to have happened.
I told them that I was Not alright with what occurred.
I told them I did Not Deserve those Points.
I asked them to Remove those Points.
They are Currently Working on it.
I also Decided to Write about what Happened.
This can be a Very Valuable Lesson about Values, Commitment, Fostering a Legitimate Community, having the Courage to Do what is Right, and having Integrity.
Now, I want to List "All" of the Authors who I "Jumped" and I encourage "You" to Read their Work, give them the Points they Deserve, and Follow them if you Enjoy their Work.
I cannot Change what happened, I Wish I Could, but what I "Can" do is Attempt to Aid those who are Negatively Impacted (Some of who I have already Mentioned).
This is "Not" How I Want to Rise in the Ranks.
I love a Good Competition, but I also want a Clean Competition.
There are Times when I Do Not Deserve to Win.
I Always "Want" to Win in a Competition...
But I'd Rather Lose Fairly.
To those Negatively Impacted, I'm doing what I can to make sure this is made Right.
Keep Doing the Amazing Work that You Do.
Hopefully, you get back to Your Rightful Place Shortly.
The Last thing I want to say...
It is Difficult to be an Exemplar of Your Beliefs.
If You are Committed to Your Values, You Will Lose.
Sometimes, You Will Lose Unfairly.
That is a Part of Life.
But Do Not Let Those Unfair Moments Define and Negatively Change You.
Overcome the Temptations.
Do Not Allow Yourself to Become Corrupted by a Broken System.
Be the Change.
Work on Fixing what is Broken.
Stand for What is Right.