There's one rule I've always believed in: whatever you're doing, be the best at it. If you're going to show up, don't half-step it, don't coast, don't sit in the middle and convince yourself it's good enough.
Be in first place.
The bottom is easy. Anyone can get there. You just show up, do the bare minimum, collect your check, and call it a day. The middle is even worse, because it's invisible. Nobody remembers who came in third. Nobody notices the guy who was "solid, dependable, average." The middle is where ambition goes to die.
The top is hard. The top demands effort, discipline, and a willingness to do what most people won't. It means working when others are sleeping, studying when others are scrolling, and sharpening your edge every single day. It means saying no to excuses and yes to discomfort. It means sacrificing the temporary high of being liked for the permanent respect of being great.
Here's the truth: most people quit before they even get close to the top. They get tired, they get distracted, or they convince themselves it's not worth it. And that's exactly why being the best is possible. Because the majority will tap out, and that clears the way for the minority who refuse to settle. The ones who keep showing up, even when nobody is watching. The ones who care too much to mail it in.
Think about sports. The difference between first and second place is often inches, not miles. One extra rep, one extra sprint, one extra round of practice. That's it. Same in your career. The person who puts in the effort to refine their pitch just a little more, the one who takes the time to build stronger relationships, the one who keeps showing up with energy while everyone else is dragging? That's the person who wins.
And once you start winning, momentum builds. Being the best in one area spills into another. It changes how you see yourself. It changes how others see you. It puts you in the driver's seat instead of stuck in the passenger's seat, waiting for life to happen to you.
People love to talk about balance, about how not everything has to be competitive. And sure, you don't have to compete in everything. But if you choose to do something, do it all the way. Don't waste your time doing it halfway. If you're going to build a business, aim to build the best one. If you're going to be in sales, be at the top of the leaderboard. If you're going to write, outwrite everybody else. If you're going to lead, lead in a way that nobody forgets.
The reward isn't just the title of being number one. The reward is that you've proven to yourself that you can do hard things. You've proven you can show up with consistency and resilience. And once you do that, it's repeatable. You stop questioning if you're capable, because you already know.
Being first doesn't just get you trophies. It gets you options. It gets you leverage. It gets you noticed. It builds confidence and credibility. You become the person people want to follow, hire, promote, and bet on. People might not like you, but they will respect you. And in the real world, respect pays.
Nobody brags about being middle of the pack. Nobody gets remembered for finishing last. The people who make an impact are the ones who show up to win.
So ask yourself: are you coasting in the middle? Are you hiding out at the bottom? Or are you clawing your way to first? Because if you're not aiming for the top, you're already choosing average.
And average doesn't change anything. Excellence does.