On the Importance of Being First.

Posted By Cliff Tuttle | July 16, 2011

No. 650

What is the difference between being first and being second?  Luck usually.

LeBron James took the Heat to the NBA Championship and declared himself and his team a failure because they lost. Perhaps they were and he was, but not because they lost.  LeBron was a failure because he said so.

The Pittsburgh Pirates spent, how many? — eighteen seasons on the bottom of the heap.  Yesterday, on the first day after the All Star Game, they were tied for first place for one day.  Perhaps it will not happen again all season.  Perhaps it will not happen again for years.  But would that make them a failure?  Not hardly.

Being first is overrated.  Being good, truly good, at what you do cannot be overrated.  First is wonderful.  But if you consider yourself to have failed because someone else came in first you deprive yourself of the pride in excellence.

Clint Hurdle told the team not to concentrate on the standings, but to focus on winning each game, one at a time.  From what I can see, the 2011 Pittsburgh Pirates are not in danger of falling into the LeBron James trap.  And neither should we.

CLT

Welcome

CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

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