July 24, 2009
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In Pursuit of Number One
I want to be the top performer at my work.
I want to produce better results than anyone else in the organization. There are about 250 employees in the whole organization. I want to beat them all. I am one of the newest employees in that I have only worked at my work for a little over a year. I am currently in the top 40 employees when it comes to results.
They always post the top 10 performers in terms of results. I want to be at the top of that list. I am hoping that this month or perhaps next month I will hit the top 25.
I had a friend who was a professional counselor for 30 years tell me once that one of my flaws was that I had tunnel vision. He said I would become focused on one thing and that would cause me to miss other things. I sort of chuckled at the thought because although he was my friend I would think his biggest flaw was the opposite problem.
It is not possible to be number one at everything. Instead you can only try to be number one at one or two things.
I am convinced that most people do not actually aim for number one. Most people aim for above average. In other words, so many people say they are aiming to be first but in reality they aim to be better than most of the other people.
Do you aim to be number one?
Comments (104)
Always
sometimes. But being Number one is a pain in the ass. So i try my best to kjust be in the top five/ten
Actually, I do. I’m only a cashier, but when I get the most hours or recognition at work, I love it.
I aim to please.
Of course! I think I usually hit the mark. I hope I’m not bragging. ^^
no, but i should.
xo
no…. just top 10 or 5
nope
I aim to be my best Me.
i dont really aim for no 1. not all the time… but i always wanna be the best among my friends, co workers, classmates, and cousins. or at least, one of the best…
I don’t aim to be there. Then again I don’t consider the possibility of competition so I sort of place myself there by default.
It depends…..
I don’t try to be number one at everything, but my competitive nature does sometimes assert itself. I think most people want to be the best at something.
This may sound corny/cheesy, but, I aim to be my very best.
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Always, I sympathise with you.
I self-motivate by trying to convince myself that I am surrounded by assholes smarter and harder-working than I am, and that those sly bastards are all out to get me.
I try to be the best I can be by learning from my mistakes. But number one is hard to get today when everyone is growing more intelligent, more educated, and more connected via technology.
Good Luck with that, I have confidince in you to Do It!!!
I aim at being number two. It’s a nice number, but not as lonely as the number one … (tip of the hat to Three Dog Night).
I delude myself into thinking I’m smarter than everyone, then work my ass off to maintain the illusion.*humor*
Like you said.
I guess I want to be number one, but I’ll settle for above average. Why settle? Maybe because I don’t really need to be the best; I just want to know that I’m better than a lot… (Hm, I think I sound conceited.) Being the best is hard to live up to all the time, I think.
I think my biggest competition is myself. Hence my need to do the grouse grind over and over so I can improve my time. As for being #1–I do my best. If I make it then so be it.
I aim to be number one if I think it can be achieved. I’m number one at my workplace, but I have been there for over 3 years and there’s really not that much competition. However, when I give it my all, my terminal gets the coveted number one spot in the region, and that’s out of at least 20 other terminals.
No doubt you’re right. I never tried to be number one, but I have always pursued my job (what ever it is) so doggedly that well, I am moving up fast. Other than not aiming at other people, I do the same thing you do
I don’t try to be Number 1 on everything. It has to be something that really matters to me. What I’m doing now in my life creates that kind of competitive spirit. And I absolutely want to be Number 1. I think it’s a good thing to have such ambition, and it causes you to push yourself the extra mile.
Good luck getting there. I have confidence somehow that you will succeed.
I try to do my best in all I do,that is number one to me!!
I always try to do the best I can. I always shoot for the top, but if I miss I know I did what I could.
No. There’s always someone better at any given thing.
I aim to be better than most. And number 1 on my team…
it depends. if i know i can only achieve my goal ( e.g. get a scholarship ) after i have beaten all other competitors, i will die for being number 1.
but in normal circumstances, i won’t bother to be number 1 as it often demands a lot of effort and sacrifice to struggle to the top position ( not to mention the effort needed to maintain the position ).
That is why I love younger girls. I will always be the best because they don’t have any experience!
It depends on what the task is.
i used to.
but i realized over time. i’m never going to be the best. So i’ll just be me
no. not with everything
i aim to succeed. if i set my goals within realistic expectations, then i HAVE achieved number 1 in MY life – and i will never be number 1 in anyone else’s life so i am happy to please myself. ♦
Why not ?
I do. being number one gets you 75 dollars a quarter. 75 dollars is a lot for poor college students. plus i like to excel at whatever i’m doing being work or school.
Where, I work… leaving in a month, and just got my eval’s… I am number one. No politics. Just hard work and a smart mouth from time to time. Now I have to prove myself all over again at my next command.
As a musician, the quality of my music is difficult to rate on a number scale. I am number 1 to some people, and I do my best. That is special to me.
But yeah, if I were in a situation as you describe, I wouldn’t rest until I got to number 1.
I aim to bring meaningful insights and growth to people’s lives. I’ll probably never be #1 in anything but I strive to reach the limits of my potential.
I like to gauge my performance on something before I shoot for a large goal. I see how I stack up in just a short period of time and if I’m pretty good at it, I’ll shoot for number one.
So, unless I think number one is a good possibility, number 2 and a little below is usually ok with me.
Your plugz haven’t annoyed me one bit, I found it kind of comical actually.
Rarely. Sometimes I do…
Depends.
I was the valedictorian in high school, if that’s what you mean.
It becomes less important to me aas I get older.
No. Two is my favorite number.
I just try to do my best.
I do my best to be number #1, if the goal im reaching for is feasible.
I try to be the best according to myself. Doesn’t matter to me whether others say i’m #1 or #100. I want myself to say that I’m #1.
Pursuit of getting a job.
I always see myself as no.1. That helps to set my standards so that everything I intend to do with my life has to be the best.
If I didn’t have my own business, yes. I think it would be great to have everybody looking to me for all the answers. But at second thought I think my work and potential is already #1.
Sorry to say this, but this post makes you come across as a douchebag.
I might have a similar mindset in terms of I want to be the best that I can on certain things, but phrasing in such a way of where you’re just doing it merely as a comparison with others comes across poorly. It kind of sounds like you’re deriving a significant amount of value from where your ranking as an employee is, which I hope is not the case.
I actually do, am kinda OCD about it. It bugged me in college when I didn’t get the top grade in a class. I’m the same way at work.
I dont like being number 1 its too competitive
I’ll be happy being No.2 – second best
You are right, I have not been.
Above average is enough for me.
well, yes.
but i’d choose to be above average at most things first.THEN, i’d move my sights to being number one in one of those things.
I’ve never been number 1, but I always try. As long as I’m happy with the results.
The difference between “ordinary” and “extraordinary” is that little EXTRA!
Depends what it is to be honest, I try to be at least number 2, its close enough! lol
i am to be pleased with myself.
Nah. Aiming to be number one is too much work. I just aim to do enough work to get as much reward as the number one would get, without all the extra stress ;D
Of course. I find anything less than the best mediocre.
Not at my job. There, i’m fine with being above the status quo. For me, it’s JUST a job, not my life. At church i do strive to be ‘last’. i work to be more supportive to the other staff, doing just about any and everything i can for them to make their jobs easier. As Christians we’re taught, to be first, you have to be last. To be the master, you have to be willing to be the slave, etc… The only thing i have to worry about is boasting about my good deeds of servitude. CRAP! I JUST DID IT……AGAIN!
lol
Good luck on your climb though. i admire that quality in others.
On the field I aim to be the most outstanding player; not necessarily the number 1 just the best
not really cause i hate failing
I prefer to design the systems and parameters and environments that people can excel and become number one in , all as a result of my streamlining and identification of the obstacles preventing them from being their best.
Now building on your cited premise, that can lead to some interesting presuppositions, no?
I try to be the best that I can, but it’s not as important to me to be Number One.
Yes! and I even just got a wonderful raise.
I don’t aim to be number one per se, but I aim to do my job to the best of my ability. Also, my uncle has tunnel vision, I know what it’s like, sort of.
I agree with you that I can’t be #1 at everything. There are some things I strive to be #1 at, but as for the rest… I’m content with just being “above average.”
High school class rank – competition!
Dear Dan,
I’m the perfect example of an alpha achiever. Just recently (June 3rd) I entered the hospital for elective surgery, to have a “hip revision” which is a replacement/repair of my 16 year old prosthesis, which wore out. While in the hospital, I vowed to be the best patient that any of the nurses had seen, and when I left a week later, I was told by everybody that I was perhaps the best patient that any of them had seen.
It’s now only 7 weeks later, and though I am following all my doctor’s and therapist’s “rules” and “regulations” for healing, I’m off the walker and using a cane. I’ve been back to work for three weeks now, and my gait has improved so much everybody is amazed at how fast I’m healing.
Our CEO at work (a small family ownedc electrical distributorship with only about 20 people, of which I am about the 5th in charge.) had a stroke about two months ago, and I was off for three weeks during my hospital stay and recuperation. When I got back, I immediately began making some policy decisions to better streamline our operation, in hopes of rising above our engineer (my supposed “boss” who was hired in 2003, while I have been with the company for over 20 years.) in the eyes of Jack’s (the CEO) daughters, who are running the company. We were not that busy when I returned to work, but I’ve added at least three new customers since I got back, and it’s a lot more active around the workplace now. I’m at my best when I’m almost “overworked” and while I do understand your assessment that your friend the counselor might have too much on his plate, while with your tunnel vision you concentrate on only one thing at a time, the trick is to spend only as much time as needed on everything, and to be able to switch gears as needed. Oh, and when customers are involved, not to show any frustration you might be having concerning anything.
I always strive to be “number one” and usually succeed. (I even strived for “internet fame” and “Xanga fame” but never achieved anything resembling this, but I’m still plugging away.
Michael F. Nyiri, poet, philosopher, fool
Dan, after reading your blog for sometime, we are not sure why you call your blog the theologians cafe. We see no discussion on theology…just a thought.
We do not try to be number, my goal is to be faithful to the one who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Trying to be number usually comes with too high a price. How many other people must be stepped on in order to achieve your goal. Being number one and being (doing) your best is not the same thing.
Regards,
LSM
nope. I don’t even aim to be better than average. I have no interest in being number 1. I’ve been Number 1 before. It’s a pain in the ass. I try not to focus on hierarchical desires. I’d much rather work to make the group as a whole a little better than it was before, than make myself better within the group
I strive to be the best at what I do. However, I don’t need anyone telling me or some list to show me where I stand. I see and measure success in a different way.
I don’t have to aim for it… I already am
Let us know when you get there.
i try to be number one in things that matter to me. but people think i dont care because i dont care enough about things THEY think are important. so perfectionism is all relevant.
First I aim to please, then I aim to do my best.
Depends on what it is. A contest? Probably.
On the list of highest GPAs in school? Nah, I don’t even bother. I leave that to the supernerds.
Yes, in most things. If I don’t really care too much about something, I try to quickly prove that I could be number one should I have the desire.
I think being number one takes sustained, long-term focus and commitment. Others may shine for a moment, but burn out quick. One of the unrecognized virtues is maintaining quality performance over an extended period of time. You can literally outlast people who are better than you.
Yes. I definitely want to be better than everyone else.
Incidentally, does this ambition of yours square nicely with your addictive xanga habits?
I aim to be happy with myself.
and that’s not always an easy goal, either.number one isn’t my goal especially in school because i know there are people out there who are much more intelligent than I.I believe that you don’t have to be on top to succeed in life.
I aim to survive.
I aim for finding ‘number one’ in my life.
Perhaps.
I do strive to be the best… I have a flaw though, I don’t step on people to do it. I am very proud to say that I am focused on being an exceptional wife and mother as long as those two things never change I am happy to continue to only “strive for” the other.
What’s the organization?
I just try to do my best. As long as I can get to a good point in life where I’m satisfied, then I’m fine.
Definitely! but failed miserably most of the time. LOL
isn’t that the same thing?
No, I don’t aim to be number 1. Life is not a competition, it is a cooperative effort. I aim to contribute my best effort to achieve whatever goal or project is in the works. If I am the best at something, I’m happy to show someone else how I do it. If I am not the best, I want to learn from the best. But being the best is not the goal.
i define #1 deferently depending on the situation. if it’s important to succeed, then, yeah, I aim for the top. But sometimes you’d waste time trying to be 1st when 2nd is just as good.
better than most. I’d be interested in the statistics of this poll.
You can do it!? I like to use it as motivation, but if I don’t become number 1 neccessaily I’ll be happy with putting a lot of effort towards a goal.
I always aim to be the best of everyone. It’s good to push yourself.
I try but I get discouraged too often…
If the society says you are number one, does that actually make you feel number one, superior to the rest?
if so, then you need the competition and confirmation.
I don’t feel that need. So, i don’t try to get there, but if i desired it, i’m confident i would over time.
Tunnel vision_ focus that most people lack and it is great that you strive after your goals wholeheartedly!!!!! BUT it is unkind in some cases, like Cantor’s, when food starts to lose taste and all else falls away as unimportant compared to your only goal in life…
I suppose that I should but I do not. I am too Type B for that sort of thing. When I focus on stuff like that I find I get tense, stressed, and miserable. That kind of motivation drives some and demotivates others and I fall in the latter group.
No…..I think of what I want to do/be, and do it. What other people are doing in comparison is irrelevant (why limit yourself to only number 1, essentially a little better than what everyone else is doing? Do something better, be your own man).
I almost always aim to be number one in most things! I despise losing, although I try not to show it. I think it is due to having an Asian mother. She is constantly comparing ME to others, which makes me feel like I must be number one, in any situation! Eee. Guess it’ll be a good mindset when I start my career.
No.
Anything worth placing in I am satisfied with 2nd or 3rd, but that’s just in my general life approach. If I care about something you better believe I’m going for 1st, and I’m going for 1st like no one ever has before.
I don’t worry about other people, I do what I need to do, I get my shit done and at the end of the day, I at least feel like numero uno.