I've had the chance to work with world class people in three different fields now. Inevitably, the people who were at the very top (World Champions, folk who literally invented (parts of) the Internet, people creating products for a massive fanbase) didn't "want to be the very best". And they were extremely comfortable with other people being smarter, if it happened.

They inevitably got to the top because every day, they wanted to be a bit better than the last day. "The best" never mattered. "Better than yesterday" did. And when they were at the top, they were the most kind and helpful people you can imagine - uplifting others whenever they could.

And they certainly didn't want to be "like no one ever was" - they invariably had a deep appreciation for the ones who came before them, and they copied everything that seemed worth copying.

The people who don't heed that advice, who don't give that advice, who relentlessly claw? Perpetual second tier, without exception.