I recently saw a survivor-game show with participants set on a tropical island competing over privileges and all the social dynamics that come with it. It made me think on the concept of survival. They say diamonds are made under pressure, but I think some people use those diamonds to cut others instead of sharing the shine.

And while it is true we'll never fully know the story behind a person, we can listen for some indicators of a survivor mentality. As some people have been under pressure for so long, have been surviving so long, that the defense system that kept them alive, has been internalized as their personality.
After all, by applying the survivor mindset, they were able to stay alive, to survive.  However, if that survivor mindset persists it starts to exhibit itself through a number of ways: sarcasm, over-working, or mistrust. And at the end of that journey lies burn-outs, depression, and conflicts. That is why we should endeavour to refocus on positive behaviour that's an outcome of the mindset of living.

This becomes double important when taking on the lens of leadership. Leaders are always under pressure. Pressure to guide the organisation, to set out the vision, keep everybody connected, and people at the centre of everything. And there's always someone or something that hates what you are (not) doing/saying/exhibiting. It takes a concerted effort to not fall into the pitfall of survivor mindset. As an example, drug use under leadership is one of the hidden truths in business environments.

"You do what you have to do to survive"
"Survivor mindset? You mean a winner's mentality?"

We should step off the survivor praise digest, call it out for what it really is - a survival mindset is only temporarily useful - and return to the riches of the reality of living: Being relaxed, energetic, and disarming. In short, return to being yourself.