He who _____ first loses

EXAMPLES:

* In a job interview, he who names the salary first loses.

* In a discussion with a teenager, he who loses his temper first loses.

* In a triathalon, he who starts off first often loses.

* At work, he who insists his way is the right way loses.

* In relationships, he who insists that there’s only one way to see things loses.

* In competitive skating, gymnastics (and other sports of an aesthetic nature), the skater or gymnast who goes first loses.

COUNTER-EXAMPLES:

* In a sprint, he who starts off out front often wins.

* In pool, he who starts first often wins.

* In apologizing, he who goes first often wins.

* In starting a project off, he who is assertive and starts first on a productive note often wins, in many cases taking the entire team towards that win.

3 thoughts on “He who _____ first loses

  1. Excellent question, Grim…
    I’m going towards… patience.

    I meant to put in just the top half of the list, but then put in the bottom for some counterbalance.

    Patience. I don’t have much of it.
    But sometimes I do when I know it’s more useful to.
    It makes it easier to have patience when I know that that patience can be useful.

    Thanks!

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