SEO is like wanting to win in sports, everybody wants to be first. You do SEO becaus you want to become number one in google search results. Nothing wrong with that.

SEO people are like sports coaches. You have good coaches and bad coaches. Good coaches will help you with an effective training programs, and analyze the competition. Bad coaches will tell you to use drugs.

Good SEO people will help you win by improving your site and inbound links, bad SEO people will help you to win by cheating.

Nothing wrong with wanting to win, though...