One of my colleagues treats people with different attitudes in a very obvious way. He acts kindly towards people who he thinks will benefit him. However, our boss evaluates him highly. It makes me lose my motivation to think that people who could be so insincere and act manipulatively will eventually be successful. (Female in her 30s)
A
There may be a variety of people at a workplace, some of whom are hard to accept and get along with. However, the importance is to recognize your own place and roles, and to firmly fulfil your own responsibilities.
Shinji(*1)
Cherish the encounters with people and try to give back the strength of your unmei.
If your involvement is based on your interest, then you will become dissatisfied and discontented, and lose your willingness to give back.
Strive to be a person who gives the strength of their unmei to society.
The more you strive, the more your kokoro(*2) will be honed and improved, and the kokoro to envelope and accept all people and things will blossom.
If you are distracted and consumed by your surroundings, you are not likely to put your heart into your work and produce good results.
The involvement based on your interest, mentioned in the Shinji, means to see things in terms of gain or lose. Calculating mindsets like this will bring out discontentment and dissatisfaction, discouraging you to give back through doing what you can unstintingly. Then you will not be able to extend your strength nor experience meaning and purpose in life.
The protagonist in your life is you. Your life is created by how you live, not by how anyone else lives. Therefore, change your perspective, focus on how much you can contribute to society, and tackle with your work right in front of you with sincerity. Then, gradually you will be needed by your colleagues, and your days will be worthwhile.
You will be mentally stable, with latitude to take others’ situations and feelings into consideration. You will not be overwhelmed by the existence of other people.
*1 Shinji: Words from Ōyamanezunomikoto, the source of all life.
*2 Kokoro: The thoughts and emotions that constantly move between the soul(unmei) and the physical body (jittai); if the kokoro is influenced by our temperament and other physical predispositions of our jittai, it becomes unbalanced; if it becomes one with our unmei, the kokoro becomes balanced and anchored.