Your absolute qualities do not determine how you fare in the world. What actually counts is your performance relative to others.

Summary

This quote highlights the idea that one's individual qualities or abilities alone are not enough to determine their success or failure in life. Instead, it suggests that what truly matters is how one performs in comparison to others. In other words, one's relative performance in relation to their peers or competitors is crucial in determining their position or achievements. This perspective implies that being the best in absolute terms may not guarantee success if others are performing even better in a relative context.