We know the story by heart. A grossly superior adversary (Goliath) is out-dueled by an ostensibly less talented competitor (David). Underdogs emerge victorious because they have grit. They work harder, smarter, and faster than the competition because they believe they have to. That’s what it means to be an underdog.
There is something deeply ingrained in our desire for a certain kind of story to play out that favors the underdog as well. Even top performers who go all the way through a journey from underdog to conquering hero, we long for them (almost cheer for them) to go through extreme adversity -- injury, failure -- so we can see them cycle and reach the pinnacle again.
The Underdog Mentality
Love this.
There is something deeply ingrained in our desire for a certain kind of story to play out that favors the underdog as well. Even top performers who go all the way through a journey from underdog to conquering hero, we long for them (almost cheer for them) to go through extreme adversity -- injury, failure -- so we can see them cycle and reach the pinnacle again.