You win some. You lose some. Ideally, both are done with dignity. Nobody likes a sour loser.
Finishing second or lower is sometimes hard to understand, especially after a prolonged super natural performance. Even with the maximum amount of planning and preparation, many things can happen. Maybe a racer performed better, but their car is slower than their competitors.
In races, as in enterprises, so many things have to go right. A plethora of different aspects to master, many of them which are hard to control.
In a grand prix, when a racer falls behind, the only option they have is to play catch-up. Too much focus on the car in front almost certainly results in copying their mistakes. When the racer, who is under attack, feels pressure, they might miss their braking point only by a split second, causing them to miss the turn. At all times, a racer must drive their own race.
To compare is to despair. Focusing on why a competitor appears to be “luckier” has no value. Focus on improving your business, with dignity.
This is the ninth and final part in the business grand prix series.