The Underdog Triumph

Brad Bartlett
3 min readSep 6, 2023

Watching underdogs rise is fun — and there’s a reason we love it so much.

Last night’s gripping face-off between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe at the US Open served as a poignant reminder of life’s unpredictable canvas.

Tiafoe, a 10th-ranked tennis titan-in-the-making, was unquestionably favored to win.

Against the odds, 20-year-old unranked Ben Shelton put on a performance for the ages, defeating his esteemed opponent in a match that will long be cited as a quintessential David vs. Goliath showdown.

But what is it about these captivating underdog stories that mesmerizes us so much? On the surface, they offer a satisfying break from predictability — a chance to revel in the unexpected.

Yet, if we delve deeper, they provoke a more introspective question: “If he could surmount such staggering odds, what untapped potential lies within me?”

The Universal Magnetism of the Underdog

The allure of the underdog is almost a universal phenomenon, deeply ingrained in our collective psyche.

It’s not just the drama of unexpected victory; it’s the reaffirmation of a basic human truth: potential can be found in the most unassuming places.

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Brad Bartlett

Professional Freelance Copywriter. (www.bradleebartlett.co) Musings on #freelancing, #productivity, #self-development, and more!