An interesting quote taken from a movie called Talledega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby about a NASCAR driver. In this comedy, the main character (surprisingly called Ricky Bobby) is given this bit of advice from his father, Reese, and proceeds to live his life according to this statement.

‘If you ain’t first, you’re last!’

I thought this was quite a takeaway from a movie that not exactly an Oscar winner and to be honest, is a bit cringeworthy at times!  It does however sum up the modern world – the pressure to be a success at the first attempt – to be a winner is the only thing and not to bother with it if you aren’t going to win.

This, however, is not true, as Ricky finds out later in the movie when he reconciles with his estranged father:

Ricky Bobby: Wait, Dad. Don’t you remember the time you told me “If you ain’t first, you’re last”?

Reese Bobby: Huh? What are you talking about, Son?

Ricky Bobby: That day at school.

Reese Bobby: Oh hell, Son, That doesn’t make any sense at all, you can be second, third, fourth… hell you can even be fifth.

Yip – it doesn’t make any sense.

Thomas Edison once said after trying 10 000 experiments to invent the light bulb: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”. He eventually had his lightbulb moment!

I find that I have put pressure on myself to succeed too: I have recently started a new role in a totally different department at work…while studying for a university degree part time…and then I go and start a blog!

A positive thing to come out of the pandemic – it’s taught everyone to refocus and rethink but more importantly, to keep going.  I’m not the first or the last to have challenges (…although I might need to not take so much on at once in the future!) but I will keep going!

If you ain’t first, you ain’t last either – you are exactly where you’re meant to be.

P.S. This isn’t exactly travel blog related, just my thoughts 🙂