When trying to improve oneself or achieve success, it's important to look up to and learn from those who have already excelled in our desired field. To "emulate the best" means to imitate the practices and behaviors of successful individuals in order to reach the same level of accomplishment. However, we don't always have to use the same wording to describe this concept. Other phrases that can be used to convey similar meanings include: follow in someone's footsteps, model after, take after, mimic, emulate the success of, replicate, and imitate the strategies of top performers. Ultimately, the goal is the same regardless of the terminology - to study and adopt the traits of successful individuals and strive for greatness.