Some people will say that nice guys finish last, but I would like to politely disagree. To use a racing metaphor, if it is a sprint the nice person may well finish last, but life and/or a career are not a sprint, they are marathons. Kindness, if mixed with competence and cooperation, will quite often win you the career race, and the life long race. It depends on what you value.
Opportunities are given to those who are trusted, and nothing erodes trust more than back-stabbing and gossip, two behaviours that those who want to be first can often display. Living a meaningful life involves building and maintaining relationships. In relationships we are running metaphorical marathons. I would argue that kindness is an essential ingredient in a life full of both happiness and success. This is the race worth running.
The Fullfilment Project 