The Desire to Be Picked
Why does everyone feel the need to be chosen? That is one of the more common questions that everyone asks themselves about society. I would like to focus on this question and find ways to challenge it. All through history people have always had the want to be chosen. The essay “Getting Picked” written by Seth Godin, analyzes the urge humans have to be chosen and why we shouldn’t allow that feeling to control our lives.
We should understand that it is fine not to be chosen and that not everybody Why do people feel the need to be chosen? This is one of the more common questions that is asked around society. I would like to focus on this question and view it in a couple of ways. All through history people have always felt the need to be chosen. The essay “Getting Picked” written by Seth Godin, analyzes the urge that humans have when it comes to being chosen for something. It also explains why we shouldn’t allow that feeling to control our lives.
Society needs to learn that it is ok to not to be chosen. Not everybody is qualified for the open position they are interviewing for. A lot of the time there will be someone at an interview that is more certified or equipped with more skills than us. These people deserve the position more. But, when we aren’t given the position, how do we deal with rejection?
One thing I have learned from being in Musical Theatre is that it is important to take each nonacceptance with a positive attitude. It is best to have a mantra, for example you will “do better next time” is a great start. Learn from each experience and really ask yourself, “Was I right for that position?”.
The truth about the reason everyone feels the need to be chosen because everyone wants to be accepted. People are constantly looking for validation from others. But if we are not the proper person for that position, we need to move on and not waste our lives living up to another person’s expectations of what the position requires. Being stuck on what people think we should be is a terrible way to live life.
Another lesson I have learned from being in Musical Theatre is to be yourself and if people don’t like you for who you are, the job wasn’t meant to be. People often feel the need to be liked by everyone. When a person is constantly trying to be liked by multiple people, they often adopt multiple personalities and attitudes that don’t show who they are as a person. Interviewers can tell if a person is authentic or not, which is why learning to deal with rejection is an important lesson. Getting used to the feeling of rejection from a young age will allow children to remain themselves and understand the idea that they are perfect the way they are.
Ultimately, there is no need to be picked. People have been psychologically brainwashed by society that it is vital to always be the chosen one. I’m personally telling you that it is not always a good thing to be the one who is picked.
Being picked for things can come with an abundant amount of responsibility. Responsibility comes with a great deal of stress. Stress is very unhealthy for the human body, which can cause poor performance in other aspects of a person’s life. These factors equal a poor quality of life that was only brought on by being picked.
On the other hand, being picked can be a very positive thing. People addictively search for the positive reinforcement of being the first choice. Being picked can allow people to prove themselves or allow them a place to show off their strengths and skills. This positivity can bring great joy to a person’s life and allow them to become very successful in the career they choose.
The desire of being picked can result in a mix of things because it’s a very dangerous subject. We have to be careful of how we deal with the art of letting other people run our lives. If people don’t choose us, it is their loss. We should only be desperate to be picked when we put our best authentic selves before the chooser. Wanting to receive a position that isn’t meant for us is an unhealthy desire and should be worked on by our current society.