I know you’re out there. We’ve all been there at some point, maybe we’re still there, but in all honesty, I hope you’re never “the best”. I’d rather you be the one who passes high school or a semester of college but not with straight A’s. I’d rather you be the girl who’s never cut from a team but only makes the B team, never the A team. I’d rather you be the girl who makes the college team of their dreams but is at the bottom of the totem pole. Or the girl who gets into the college of their dreams but has to work extra hard to get there. I’d rather you be the girl who can cook and sing and dance, but never has a cooking show, or win’s "America’s Got Talent".

Why don’t I want you to be the best?

You have so much more to offer when you aren’t at the top of the world already. You learn what it means to constantly have a goal and work towards it every day. You have role models that went before you, people to look up to and strive to be like. You realize the importance of good work ethic and integrity. You learn how to take advice from others and grow from it. You lose the entitlement and ego because you aren’t entitled to anything.

There’s nothing to boast about because you aren’t the best at anything. You only have the few talents that you are good at and work on every day until someday, maybe, you become the best. But at that rare possibility, I hope you’re still just “good”.

Never the best.

Of course, I want you to excel and grow. But to say I want the best for you isn’t 100% accurate. I want good for you, and I want you to turn that good into something amazing. Turn the average friend, into the one who will drop everything for someone. The friend who will listen. Not talk, just listen. The friend who makes you laugh till your stomach hurts and tears are coming out of your eyes. The friend you can go to and you know no judgment will ever be shared.

Turn the average student, into a student who has the best network on campus, the student who has the best work ethic, the student who TRIES her best. Turn the “good enough” athlete into the best teammate. The athlete who WORKS to the best of her ability every day and gives 100% on the field/court and sideline.

Only then will you be the best.

When you’re the best at being you, that’s where the magic happens. No title or award or amount of scholarship money will ever be able justify your worth. Because only you can be the best possible you and there’s no way to define it.