Points on Competence

 #1  Competence is no guarantee for success. There may be more qualifiers required for a job, such as virtues to complement it. Or, in the worst of cases, arbitrary traits that are favored.

 #2  Having competence and acknowledging the value of it can free you of the burden of compensating for a lack of it. You may get away with lacking charm, sociability, and more that can sway others or is even expected of you. That is, however, unless those around are severely lacking sense or the entire package is strictly necessary.

 #3  You don’t get competent by pulling others down, delaying them, or otherwise sabotaging them. You get competent by working on yourself, making use of your strengths and making up for your weaknesses.

 #4  Compete, first and foremost, against yourself in regards to where you aim or are meant to be. Competing against others, if not careful, can stray you and keep you from fulfilling your potential.

 #5  Competence matters. Do not expect charity if you don’t put in the effort to achieve it. People, even the most generous ones, can only accommodate so much before it becomes a serious liability.