New Delhi, March 12 -- "In order to become a success, a business doesn't just have to do well; it has to do better than its competitors. Being number one isn't just about bragging rights. Often it means the difference between prospering and merely hanging on."

This blunt observation by Mitt Romney strips away the feel-good language around business success. Doing well is not enough.

Doing better than the person next to you is what actually matters. In the marketplace, second place is rarely celebrated. It is quietly forgotten.

The quote by Mitt Romney, whose birthday is on 12 March, speaks to a truth that many entrepreneurs and business leaders would rather not say out loud. Markets are not charitable.

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