If you spend time focusing on how to defeat others at being them you lose at being you. It doesn’t matter if it’s business or personal life. Many great companies have gone and many individual have wasted much of their life trying to be better at something than someone else. The major problem is, if the person or business you’re trying to compete with is being themselves, maximizing their unfair competitive advantage (UCA) then you will lose every time. No one can be better at being them than them. So everyone else will always be second best. Generally in life most people want the originators and not the imitators. Would you want real gold or imitation?

So, instead of competing in a market, focus on dominating a market. Focus on your UCA and constantly create better ways to service your existing customers and attract new ones. In other words be an originator not a duplicator. Duplicators are always chasing the market and often come up short. Focus in getting and retaining customers. If you only focus on getting new ones and have no retention strategy, your customers will be in a revolving door. They come and then they leave. Remember if you are not growing then you are dying, there is no middle ground.

When your focus is external, fears, doubts, worries, and sometimes paranoia sets in.  You can never defeat an imaginary enemy. So instead focus on defeating the one you know very well. The one that’s within that puts limits, wants you to stay comfortable, not make mistakes and constantly seeks validation by comparing you to everyone else. Two business in the same industry, like twins from the same parents may look the same on the outside, but functions completely different.

Best Wishes on your Success!

Dewong Lucas, Sr.

Founder, Helping Entrepreneurs