We tend to hold onto the notion that people are given rewards based on how deserving or worthy they are.
Unfortunately, merit isn’t a primary motivator for many decisions, and even when it is, each person defines merit in their own way.
So even when people are acting with the purest of intentions, individuals vying for a reward can still feel slighted when they don’t receive it because it’s hard to conceive of a different version of worthiness.
The best thing you can do when pursuing rewards is to get really clear on how they are awarded and work within that process, while accepting that your own definition of merit is unlikely to be a factor.
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