According to Tannen, men generally see the world as a competitive place. People "win" or "lose" in life just as teams win or lose baseball games. People rank "first, second, or third" just like competing athletes in the Olympics. Many men see life as a contest in which they are struggling to become independent and avoid failure. American men in particular believe that it is important to "make it on their own." They feel that they must struggle against being "put down" or "pushed around" by other people. Because men see the world as a contest, they use words as a way of helping them " come out on top" or "be number one." One common image men use about themselves is that they are "climbing the ladder of success." This image suggests that an individual must act separately from other people in order to achieve his goals.