Competition. We’re all afraid of it to some degree. We try to be magnanimous and think, “There’s enough business for everyone.” That’s true, but we all have some of those niggling little doubts that someone is stealing business from us. Because it’s a competitive world.
Competition is often related to being “the best.” Once you are convinced you have to be “the best,” the logical though is, “I have to be better.”
Better than anyone on the team. Better than any other applicant. You think you have to have better skills or a thicker resume to be better.
In reality, no one can ever be top dog forever. You’ll never be better forever. There’s always someone learning and growing faster who take that “better” spot with more skill, more awards, better tech or whatever.
Want to know the secret to defeating competition as an enemy?
It’s really simple.
Different is better than better.
Sinceriously.
Different means you stand out. Different allows you to be you and deliver in the way you are meant to. It allows you to operate in your genius zone.
In a crowded, competitive market, how you are different is how you stand out and matter. Strengths are a standard. If you’re an accounting firm bidding on a project, all the other accounting firms in the process probably have the same strengths you do. They’d have to other they wouldn’t be eligible to even be part of the process. How do you stand out? How are you different?
You’re an electrical engineer applying for a job along with 500 other electrical engineers. You all have an electrical engineering degree. You’d have to or you wouldn’t be eligible to apply. How are you different?
Your differences matter more as competition increases. You want to be the red duck in a sea of yellow ducks.
Here’s another secret to defeating competition: Lead with Who You Are vs What You Do.
Never ever say, “I’m an accountant.” Everyone else says that.
Don’t think that competition means you have to change who you are.
Defeat competition by becoming more of who you are.
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