Richard Petty, the stock-car racing legend, finished second in his very first race. He was so excited that he sped home to tell his mother.
"You lost!" was her candid response.
Richard objected and thought he did a great job to finish second among 35 cars in his first race.
But his mom didn't see it that way. She said, "Richard, you don't have to run second to anybody!"
Petty never forgot his mother's message, and for the next 20-plus years, he dominated stock car racing.
As a competitive person, I thought that second place was the same as last growing up. Losing was a source of shame.
There's certainly nothing wrong with striving to be the best. That's what makes America.
Competition makes us better and stronger. We should not only welcome stiff competition, we should actively seek it. We'll never realize our full potential in business or athletics unless we are challenged. Competition is healthy. It keeps us sharp. It makes us better. It improves quality.