I had rather be first in a village than second at Rome. Julius Caesar
Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything. Aesop
As to matters of dress, I would recommend one never to be first in the fashion nor the last out of it. John Wesley
To be first in the Middle East is not enough. We must raise ourselves to the level of a great world power. Muhammad Reza Pahlavi
Be first in the field, the last to the couch. Chinese Proverb
Better be first in a village than second at Rome. Romanian Proverb