--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you are first you are first. If you…" description: "\"If you are first you are first. If you are second, you are nothing.\" — Bill Shankly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/bill-shankly-8304_second_if-you-are-first-you-are-first-if-you-ar_837137.jpg" --- # If you are first you are first. If you are second, you are… ![“If you are first you are first. If you are second, you are nothing.” quote by Bill Shankly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/bill-shankly-8304_second_if-you-are-first-you-are-first-if-you-ar_837137.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/bill-shankly-8304_second_if-you-are-first-you-are-first-if-you-ar_837137.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/bill-shankly-8304_second_if-you-are-first-you-are-first-if-you-ar_837137.jpg) > “If you are first you are first. If you are second, you are nothing.” [Bill Shankly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shankly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being first grants status; being second feels insignificant, emphasizing a win‑or‑lose mindset. **In simple terms:** First is praised, second is ignored. Key Takeaway Strive to be first. Themes competition achievement status motivation hierarchy Mood determined critical motivational Type advice philosophical sports When to use this quote - team sports - career advancement - business ranking - personal goals Key Concepts leadership sports psychology self‑worth Questions to Reflect On - What defines true success? - Is being second always negative? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on ranking can harm teamwork. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I feel that New Zealand is my second home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/i-feel-that-new-zealand-is-my-second-home/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [Al Davis was the first to know about my decision to retire, and Mom was second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-matuszak/al-davis-was-the-first-to-know-about-my-decision-to-retire-and-mom/) [John Matuszak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-matuszak/) > [I didn't foresee troubles in my second film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthik-subbaraj/i-didn-t-foresee-troubles-in-my-second-film/) [Karthik Subbaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthik-subbaraj/) > [Rich widows are the only second-hand goods that sell at prime cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/rich-widows-are-the-only-second-hand-goods-that-sell-at-prime-cost/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [The perfection in theater is that it's over the second it's done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hurt/the-perfection-in-theater-is-that-it-s-over-the-second-it-s-done/) [William Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hurt/) > [I think that we have a number of different health care challenges in our country, and certainly addressing the uninsured is one, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/i-think-that-we-have-a-number-of-different-health-care-challenges-in/) [Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/) > [U only live once, so make ever second count!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridgett/u-only-live-once-so-make-ever-second-count/) [Bridgett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridgett/) > [There is only one real sin and that is to persuade oneself that the second best is anything but second best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/there-is-only-one-real-sin-and-that-is-to-persuade-oneself-that-the/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [I had no bad moment in my relationship with Dortmund. 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Not one second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-klopp/i-had-no-bad-moment-in-my-relationship-with-dortmund-not-one-second/) [Jurgen Klopp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-klopp/) > [There is only one real sin and that is to persuade oneself that the second best is anything but second best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/there-is-only-one-real-sin-and-that-is-to-persuade-oneself-that-the/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [U only live once, so make ever second count!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridgett/u-only-live-once-so-make-ever-second-count/) [Bridgett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridgett/) > [I think that we have a number of different health care challenges in our country, and certainly addressing the uninsured is one, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/i-think-that-we-have-a-number-of-different-health-care-challenges-in/) [Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/) > [The perfection in theater is that it's over the second it's done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hurt/the-perfection-in-theater-is-that-it-s-over-the-second-it-s-done/) [William Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hurt/) > [Rich widows are the only second-hand goods that sell at prime cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/rich-widows-are-the-only-second-hand-goods-that-sell-at-prime-cost/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I didn't foresee troubles in my second film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthik-subbaraj/i-didn-t-foresee-troubles-in-my-second-film/) [Karthik Subbaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthik-subbaraj/) > [Al Davis was the first to know about my decision to retire, and Mom was second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-matuszak/al-davis-was-the-first-to-know-about-my-decision-to-retire-and-mom/) [John Matuszak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-matuszak/) > [Yeah, I came back quickly, but I don't think me getting injured the second time necessarily was from coming back too early.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-price/yeah-i-came-back-quickly-but-i-don-t-think-me-getting-injured-the/) [Carey Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-price/) Browse all 1,782 Second quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you are first you are first. 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