None of us can get along without relationships and teamwork. The individual win means little if it doesn't emanate out into the community. One particular kind of relationship reveals this concept in miniature: the mentor relationship, in which a person passes along lessons and experience to another in order to uphold a system of collective, interdependent functionality.
We've all had guidance and support from mentors in our lives: coaches, teachers, coworkers, etc. On a more abstract, and easily ignored, level, there have been many figures, past and present, who have helped to give rise to our social context, our infrastructure, our economy, our democratic freedom, and so on. After even a brief analysis of this sort, we soon find that we are each a product of the world's entire history. We see the "butterfly effect" become apparent, where even the subtlest actions ripple across space and through time. Even negative actions can have beneficial echoes, either providing an example through contrast or contributing to a "greater good" scenario.
We all owe it to others to assist in their fortune, just as others have assisted in ours. But mentoring shouldn't be viewed as a chore. It's a vastly enriching experiencing that can strengthen your victorious spirit, whether you're the mentor or the mentee.
Have you had a great mentor in your life? What kind of impact did they have on who you became?