---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Winning is coming in fourth, exhausted…"
description: "\"Winning is coming in fourth, exhausted but excited, because you came in fifth last time.\" — Denis Waitley"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/denis-waitley-977_excited_winning-is-coming-in-fourth-exhausted-bu_1532971.jpg"
---

#  Winning is coming in fourth, exhausted but excited…

![“Winning is coming in fourth, exhausted but excited, because you came in fifth last time.” quote by Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/denis-waitley-977_excited_winning-is-coming-in-fourth-exhausted-bu_1532971.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/denis-waitley-977_excited_winning-is-coming-in-fourth-exhausted-bu_1532971.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/denis-waitley-977_excited_winning-is-coming-in-fourth-exhausted-bu_1532971.jpg)

> “Winning is coming in fourth, exhausted but excited, because you came in fifth last time.”

[Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/)

## About This Quote

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

Improvement is rewarding; moving from a low rank to a slightly higher one feels both exhausting and exhilarating, highlighting progress.

**In simple terms:** Progress feels good even when tiring.

Key Takeaway

Celebrate incremental gains.

Themes

self‑improvement motivation achievement competition resilience

Mood

encouraging optimistic

Type

motivational inspirational

When to use this quote

- Training for a marathon
- career promotion
- skill development
- academic grading

Key Concepts

Growth mindset goal setting performance tracking

Questions to Reflect On

- What small win can you acknowledge today?
- How can you sustain energy after a tough effort?

A Different Perspective

Focusing only on rank can cause burnout; success should be measured beyond position.

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[Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/)

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