Second best is better


 It's a bit ironic going about this topic as an Arsenal fan. I will not let that stop me. What's worth being second place if all the glory goes to the one in first place then? First place is the one who lifts the trophy and has their name recorded as victor. Only one competitor can be described as the fastest, strongest, greatest, ultimately the best. Such superlative descriptions over shadows everything else in the results of the competition. 

There is a glorious burden that comes with being the one at the top. You are the one at the cutting edge of your field. All eyes are on you to shine and outperform those around you. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. The pressure would be too much for me to bear all the time. Any mistake made is leeway for a competitor to gain ground or even over take you. 


Which is why I would present the argument that second best is better. Some may retort that second place is first loser. Maybe even the fact that the person who comes in last probably will be remembered more than the one who finished in second. To that I ask myself what is in it to seek to be remembered for an achievement that much. 

There will always be someone more skilled or better in a certain aspect than me. It really isn't something that I lose sleep over. Coming second means there is not as much pressure, because not everyone is aiming to be second. So no need to worry about envious eyes looking at you. It is liberating to not be at the center of attention.

 

Second place means there is room for improvement. There's definitely going to be a chance for a better placement in the next results. There are not really any ceilings when you get to the top. Sadly it can get tedious when there seems to be no challenges left to keep you on your toes. What else is there to achieve when you have achieved everything, au contraire, the bitter taste of missing out on first place keeps you coming back and stepping into the fight. 

In my opinion even the word penultimate sounds cooler than ultimate. It helps me to remain humble when I do not assume that I am the best at what I do. At the same time I do not have to feel challenged when another person is doing much better than I am. So that is why I think second best is better. 

Comments

  1. DeniseOctober 7, 2024 at 4:59 PM

    As someone who is competitive, it was interesting reading your perspective on this. I do believe that even first place means there is room for improvement. It’s only that, when you’re first, your competition is yourself. I think first place is best (for me) because the only one I have to beat is myself and I won’t have to worry about being better than someone else. Just my two cents haha. Thanks for writing, very insightful.

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