“Hey, bro. Your dirty shirt tag is showing for like the hundredth time today.” Jackson dramatically cried out to Aiden. “Really? Because your shirt’s inside out, so quit being so concerned about me and just worry about yourself, Jackson!” Whether two friends are ticking each other off because they’re worrying about the other person or two coworkers can’t get along for the same reason, people being concerned about others more than themselves is always a heated discussion. People should, in most situations, be more concerned about themselves and get done what they need to before they attempt to assist others in order to keep themselves focused and on track and also to avoid getting others in trouble.
In order for a person to stay focused, from the very get-go, one must be concerned with themselves more so than they are with others. For example, when Frank, a Junior Varsity basketball player for the White Oak Roughnecks, doubts whether his teammate made the time for the conditioning, he contains his doubt after recalling that he and his teammate were neck-and-neck the entire time. When a person is a “bossy-pants, tattle-tail, or snitch,” they are generally the one who gets in trouble. As a result, before one works to help others and assist with their problems, he needs to make sure that he himself is in the right place. In addition, instead of simply asking around if anybody else did their homework, John does the “right thing” and completes his homework diligently and in time. In general, when one worries the most about his own state-of-being and then helps others, situations tend to occur in his favor. Thus, for a person to remain focused, engaged, and on track, he should seek to work diligently, attentively, and stay focused on himself.
Similarly, when people are concerned primarily about themselves, they generally avoid getting others around them in trouble and having to deal with extra consequences. For example, when the tightly-knit group of buds numbering about six sit down to eat lunch at the school cafeteria, Joe questions Bob’s new tattoo, at the exact same time that the school principal is standing next to Bob. This results in an in-school-suspension for Bob, and one less friendship for Joe. When one is more concerned about others than themselves, they put themselves at high risk of loss and failure. In addition, just after the grading of the test was completed, Jimmy points out to the teacher that Andy graded his own paper, and cheated while doing so. This situation also results in an in-school-suspension for Andy, and one less friendship for Jimmy. In essentially all situations, worrying or being more concerned about others does not turn out positively. In one’s life, his own abilities and responsibilities need to be at the very forefront of all priorities. Once a person has his own life in check, he can then seek to help others. Therefore, it is in the interest of all for people to be most concerned about themselves before serving others.
Remember those two kids, Jackson and Aiden, dramatically talking about each other’s shirts? They no longer have a friendship. These are the types of activities that need to be avoided and can be by people being concerned only with themselves before aiding others.