“Human beings,” social psychologist Daniel Gilbert explains, “are works in progress that mistakenly think they’re finished.”30 The five-time world track-and-field champion Maurice Greene didn’t make that mistake and saw himself as a permanent work in progress. Even if you’re a world champion, Greene would caution, you must train like you’re number two.31 When you’re ranked second—or at least you pretend you are—you’re less likely to grow complacent. You’ll rehearse that speech until you know it cold, overprepare for that job interview, and work harder than your competitors.
