---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the first bird may get the worm, but the…"
description: "\"“the first bird may get the worm, but the second rat gets the cheese”\" — Alston Gage"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/alston-gage-218191_quote_the-first-bird-may-get-the-worm-but-the_1976399.jpg"
---

#  the first bird may get the worm, but the second rat gets…

![“the first bird may get the worm, but the second rat gets the cheese” quote by Alston Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/alston-gage-218191_quote_the-first-bird-may-get-the-worm-but-the_1976399.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/alston-gage-218191_quote_the-first-bird-may-get-the-worm-but-the_1976399.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/alston-gage-218191_quote_the-first-bird-may-get-the-worm-but-the_1976399.jpg)

> ““the first bird may get the worm, but the second rat gets the cheese””

[Alston Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alston-gage/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A witty observation that the second option can yield a better reward than the first.

**In simple terms:** Second attempts can be more rewarding.

Key Takeaway

Consider alternatives before settling.

Themes

competition reward strategy

Mood

playful thoughtful

Type

Worm:0 Worm Second:0 Gets Cheese:0 Bird Worm:0 Rat Gets:0 Second Rat:0

When to use this quote

- business decisions
- personal choices
- investment
- career moves

Key Concepts

opportunity cost risk assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- What opportunities might you be overlooking?
- How do you evaluate risk vs reward?

A Different Perspective

Not all second chances guarantee success.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bird Worm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird-worm-1334100/) [Gets Cheese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gets-cheese-650847/) [Rat Gets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rat-gets-3349032/) [Second Rat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-rat-3349033/) [Worm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worm/) [Worm Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worm-second-650845/)

## Related quotes

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[Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/)

> [The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-early-bird-gets-the-worm-but-the-second-mouse-gets-the-cheese/)

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> [Early bird gets the worm, but second mouse gets the cheese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/early-bird-gets-the-worm-but-second-mouse-gets-the-cheese/)

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> [“The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. —Steven Wright”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-benjamin/the-early-bird-gets-the-worm-but-the-second-mouse-gets-the-cheese-2/)

[Oliver Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-benjamin/)

> [The early bird may get the worm, but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-paxman/the-early-bird-may-get-the-worm-but-it-s-the-second-mouse-that-gets/)

[Jeremy Paxman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-paxman/)

> [The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse always gets the cheese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/the-early-bird-may-get-the-worm-but-the-second-mouse-always-gets-the/)

[Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverb/)

> [“It's true that the early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/it-s-true-that-the-early-bird-gets-the-worm-but-the-second-mouse-gets/)

[Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/)

> [The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-early-bird-may-get-the-worm-but-the-second-mouse-gets-the-cheese/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The early bird catches the worm but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/the-early-bird-catches-the-worm-but-it-s-the-second-mouse-that-gets/)

[Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/)

> [The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-early-bird-might-get-the-worm-but-the-second-mouse-gets-the-cheese/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The early bird may get the worm, but its the second mouse that gets the cheese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-paxman/the-early-bird-may-get-the-worm-but-its-the-second-mouse-that-gets/)

[Jeremy Paxman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-paxman/)

> [God gives every bird his worm, but He does not throw it into the nest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/god-gives-every-bird-his-worm-but-he-does-not-throw-it-into-the-nest/)

[P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/)

> [If you're a bird, be an early bird. But if you're a worm, sleep late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/if-you-re-a-bird-be-an-early-bird-but-if-you-re-a-worm-sleep-late/)

[Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/)

> [God gives every bird a worm, but he does not throw it into the nest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-gives-every-bird-a-worm-but-he-does-not-throw-it-into-the-nest/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Early bird gets the worm, but the second worm gets to live.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-bergen/early-bird-gets-the-worm-but-the-second-mouse-gets-the-cheese-early/)

[Edgar Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-bergen/)

## More Worm quotes

> [It has long been my desire to be a little worm in the fair apple of Progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/it-has-long-been-my-desire-to-be-a-little-worm-in-the-fair-apple-of/)

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> [The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-early-bird-gets-the-worm-but-the-second-mouse-gets-the-cheese/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

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[Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/)

> [The early bird may get the worm, but its the second mouse that gets the cheese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-paxman/the-early-bird-may-get-the-worm-but-its-the-second-mouse-that-gets/)

[Jeremy Paxman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-paxman/)

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[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It costs me never a stab nor squirm / To tread by chance upon a worm. / Aha, my little dear, / I say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/it-costs-me-never-a-stab-nor-squirm-to-tread-by-chance-upon-a-worm/)

[Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/)

> [The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-early-bird-might-get-the-worm-but-the-second-mouse-gets-the-cheese/)

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[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [“The early bird catches the worm but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/the-early-bird-catches-the-worm-but-it-s-the-second-mouse-that-gets/)

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[Browse all 186 Worm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worm/)

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