"If you view everyone as your enemies then everyone around you will become your enemies."

Seeing everyone as your enemy makes it so. It’s pretty simple when you break it down. If you approach every interaction with suspicion and hostility, people will respond in kind. It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy—what you put out into the world is what you get back.

Think about the Cold War era. The U.S. and the Soviet Union were constantly on edge, seeing each other as enemies. This mindset led to a series of escalating tensions, including an arms race and several close calls with disaster. The fear and suspicion each side had only served to reinforce the other side’s view that they were indeed enemies. Imagine if they had approached each other with openness and a willingness to understand—history could have been very different.

Now picture this: you start a new job and you’re convinced that your coworker, let’s call him Mike, is out to get you. You suspect him of undermining you in meetings, stealing your ideas, and talking behind your back. Because of this, you’re short with him, you avoid sharing information, and you give curt responses. Mike, in turn, starts to think you’ve got a problem with him. He becomes defensive, doesn’t go out of his way to help you, and the whole atmosphere becomes tense. In the end, you’ve created an enemy where there might have been a friend.

How can you apply this wisdom in your own life? Start by giving people the benefit of the doubt. Don't assume malice when something can be explained by misunderstanding or circumstance. Approach interactions with a mindset of cooperation rather than competition. If you feel tension or conflict, address it directly and calmly rather than letting it fester.

Imagine you’re at a family gathering and you’ve always had a bit of a rocky relationship with your cousin, Sarah. You think she’s always judging you and making snide comments. Every time she says something, you hear it through this lens of suspicion. But what if you tried something different? What if, at the next gathering, you approached Sarah with kindness and openness? What if you asked her about her life, genuinely listened, and shared something personal about your own life? You might find that she responds in kind, that those snide comments were just your interpretation, or maybe she felt insecure herself. The whole dynamic could shift.

Life is too short to fill it with unnecessary enemies. By changing your mindset and approach, you can transform potential conflicts into opportunities for connection. Treat others with respect and understanding, and you’ll often find that they return the favor. Sure, not everyone will react positively—some people are just difficult—but many will, and your life will be richer for it.

So next time you’re tempted to see someone as an enemy, take a step back. Consider what you might be projecting. Approach the situation with a fresh perspective, and you might be surprised at how differently things turn out.