The Loser Manifesto 

By Nicha Jaroensuk 

​

I am a bona fide natural-born loser. The life of a runner-up is the only life I know how to live. I don’t believe in talent because I was born with none. I don’t believe in luck because I’ve never been graced with its presence. Drawing competitions: lost. Swimming competitions: last. Singing competitions: lack of a Mariah Carey living in my larynx. 

 

It’s safe to say I know a thing or two about fiddling with the giants - the greats, the talented, the winners. The view most familiar to me is looking up at Number One with blood, sweat, and tears seeping into my eyes like a cruel joke. Welcome to the life of a perpetual loser. 

 

Little fish have to keep moving all the time. The big ones never stop picking on them. The world is full of natural-born losers like myself - I am certain of it. That’s why I’m not here to complain, I’m here to share my thoughts on how not to be swallowed up by the big fish, and on being one of the Number Twos. 

 

Through this struggle, we’ve learned the basic difference between the Number One and Number Two of the world. The Number One attitude is “Don’t do the wrong thing. Don’t make mistakes and you’ll be ok” while the Number Two attitude is “Do the right thing. Look for new ways. Try harder.” That’s right, the Number Twos all have one thing in common - we try harder. When you are not the biggest, you have to. Or else.

 

This is No. 2ism. It’s not a mindset, it’s a way of living, the way to stay alive. It’s not being gifted but possessing the gift of fiery passion, of grit, of a pair of balls. To keep shooting for the stars only to always break your legs falling flat on the ground takes great courage. But because we try harder, we will get back up, no matter what. 

 

No. 2ism is knowing what’s too expensive in life. We can’t afford to sleep in until eleven. We can’t afford to be a couch potato. We can’t afford to not show up. We can’t afford to take our eyes off the prize. And we sure as hell can’t afford complacency. 

 

No. 2ism doesn’t believe in talent or that greatness is gifted to the chosen few or exists as a rare strand of DNA, greatness exists in those who are trying to find it, to work hard for it, to give it everything they’ve got.

 

This isn’t an underdog story. Being an underdog means you’ve managed to win. Being a Number Two means you might never do. And to me, that’s a blessing in its own right. By having self-worth that lives beyond a gold medal means you’ve won one of life’s greatest trophies: grit. 

 

Grit sounds like a lot of work - and it is, but on the other hand, it can take you on a fulfilling expedition of knowing yourself, pushing yourself and most importantly, being able to never let failures stop you and that’s the gold we should all want to strike. 

 

No. 2ism, it works. Try harder. And you’ll find being Number Two is the luck you’ve been gifted. 

 

The Number Twos of the world, arise!