“When you move your focus from competition to contribution life becomes a celebration. Never try to defeat people, just win their hearts.”

I was just sent this one by email. I’ve no idea where it originated. It’s on many websites, and is currently in one book that I know of.

Everything about it is wrong, from the style to the vocabulary, including terms like “move your focus,” the very modern-sounding “competition to contribution,” and the completely un-Buddha-like “life becomes a celebration.” The Buddha, at peace, serene, and composed, is not noted for having promoted life as a “celebration.”

In a book called “How the Special Needs Brain Learns,” edited by David A. Sousa, there’s a recommendation for working with ADHD children:

“Shift the focus away from competition to contribution, enjoyment, and satisfaction.” But the rest of the quote isn’t in that book, or in any other book currently indexed by Google.

There’s not much else I can say about this quote. I simply wanted to note this one because of its fakeness, in the hopes that I may marginally slow its spread in the blogosphere and prevent it from making its way into any books.