Competition decreases.
Collaboration increases.
With competition, effort is expended, pushing past obstacles. Effort is expended, pushing to the front.
After expenditures, there is less to go around. Competition determines who gets what.
With collaboration, there is more for everyone — which collaboration freely shares.
Competition flies into a headwind. It’s slow. And difficult.
Collaboration assists from behind. It’s fast. And easy.
Competiton weakens.
Collaboration strengthens.
No matter how strong you may be, competition impedes some of that strength. Collaboration adds to it.
Competiton is stressful.
Collaboration is relaxing.
Disagreement is competitive.
Agreement is collaborative.
Disrespect is competitive.
Respect is collaborative.
Status — power, wealth, popularity, beauty — is competitive.
Equality is collaborative.
Exclusion is competitive.
Inclusion is collaborative.
Distrust is competitive.
Trust is collaborative.
Deception is competitive.
Honesty is collaborative.
Defense is competitive.
Vulnerability is collaborative.
Talking is competitive to the extent that it competes with other voices.
Listening is collaborative.
Fear is competitive.
Hope is collaborative.
Stress is competitive.
Freedom is collaborative.
Disagreement is competitive.
Agreement is collaborative.
Persuasion is disagreement.
Coercion is persuasion.
Fighting is coercion.
Domination is fighting.
Violence is domination.
Hatred is violence.
Talking is competitive to the extent that it competes with other voices.
Listening is collaborative.
Talking escalates. Listening de-escalates.
Answers are for talking. Or doing something.
Questions are for listening. Or learning something.
Answers are for talking. Or doing something.
Questions are for listening. Or learning something.
Answers have specific and very limited utility. Questions start from where answers leave off.
People listen to powerful answers from powerful people — parents, teachers, leaders. It’s domination. Don’t fight domination by talking. Ask questions. Listen.
Answers serve a purpose. The goal is not to eliminate them, but to expand and make them more useful. Don’t get distracted by answers out of context. Listen to what they are trying to achieve.
Opinions are answers.
Facts are opinions.