7/22/2026
On Monday, I spent hours trying to resolve an issue with Verizon's customer service, but got nowhere. Frustrated, we ended up visiting a Verizon store the following day.
While standing outside the store, I noticed the neighboring stores belonged to Verizon's competitors—Spectrum and T-Mobile. That reminded me of a recent news report describing Verizon's growing challenges from rivals, especially T-Mobile.
For years, Verizon dominated the U.S. telecommunications market. With its vast customer base and extensive network, it seemed almost untouchable. T-Mobile, by contrast, was once the smaller challenger with far fewer resources.
Today, however, the roles appear to be changing. T-Mobile has been steadily gaining market share, while Verizon is facing increasing pressure. Perhaps one day T-Mobile will become the industry leader. If it does, history suggests that another ambitious challenger will eventually emerge to challenge it.
This brings to mind the old Chinese saying: 骄兵必败，哀兵必胜 (Jiāo bīng bì bài, āi bīng bì shèng)—"An arrogant army is destined to be defeated, while an army fighting with determination is more likely to prevail." Or success often breeds complacency and leads to defeat, while challengers are forced to innovate which leads to success.
There seems to be a recurring cycle: the incumbent on the top seat has more to protect, while the challenger has more to prove. Once the challenger reaches the top and becomes the incumbent, the fire that fueled its rise can gradually give way to complacency, creating an opening for the next ambitious challenger.
Perhaps this Chinese saying contains wisdom that goes far beyond the battlefield. Success can breed complacency, while adversity often fuels determination. Whether in business or in life, the greatest challenge is not reaching the top—it is continuing to learn and improve after you get there.
The saying also echoes a central idea in modern psychology: cultivate a growth mindset.
Finally, here's the enduring wisdom behind 骄兵必败，哀兵必胜. Success should be a motivation to keep growing, not a reason to stop.
