if we always settled for something less?

Introspection is undervalued. The quest to map the self is undertaken by few, completed by none. Yet how are we to understand the world without understanding ourselves? How can we place the proper importance on the events and people in our lives without understanding the effects of those events and people on us? What happens when introspection brings us the realization that we've missed our best chance for happiness? Do we hold our chin up high and go in search of second best? Can we devote our lives to number two without getting shat on?