Being pretty good at something you love is a fine life. “The best” is one spot. “Good” has room for millions.

Only one person can hold the top position in anything, and aiming exclusively at that means almost certainly deciding later that your life was a disappointment. Being solidly good at something you care about is a different proposition: achievable, durable, and where nearly everybody who enjoys their work actually sits. The honest arithmetic here is not discouraging. It is a relief once you look straight at it.

Ask whether your plan still works if you turn out to be good rather than exceptional. If not, adjust it so a good outcome is a happy one, then carry on trying for more.