“A slap in the face is a great wake up call.” -Michael Kay
Nothing like starting to skid on black ice to get your heart racing and force you to slow down.
Nothing like getting your first non A as a freshman in college to pop your ego and challenge you to study and improve your learning processes.
Nothing like facing someone faster and better than you to force you to practice harder to get better.
Being embarrassed by your boss the first time for substandard work is a great way to get a dose of reality and the impetus to up your standards.
Everyone thinks they are pretty good until they come across someone better and suddenly realize that they need to step up or be stepped on.