Why do you think you have competition?
Whether you are a business owner, a representative of a business or, a worker in a corporate venue, chances are you think you have competition.
You’re likely to think I’m crazy when I tell you that the competition you think you have is between your ears. That’s right! The competition you think you have is just that, a thought, an idea planted there by someone or something, yourself for that matter; a process or a duplication from what other’s may have said and, to conform, you agree.
I am here to tell you that you absolutely have no competition in whatever it is that you do. As a business owner, corporate colleague or, a representative of a business, you have no competition!
Or, as a US Olympic athlete:
Did Matthew Centrowitz have competition in the Men’s 1500?
Did Michael Phelps have competition in the water?
Did Simone Biles have competition in gymnastics?
As you ponder: how can that be, no competition? You go on to say, there are so many competitors in my field, that it’s impossible not to have competition.
Really?
Well, the answer lies within you! The answer to competition lies within your belief system.
You think it quite normal to have competition! But, if I tell you it’s normal NOT to have competition, what would you say to me? Be nice!
You have been raised to believe competition rules the world.
It’s because of competition that our economy thrives; isn’t that what you believe? Isn’t that what you’ve been told? Of course it is. I believed that for quite some time as well, until that day!
It was that day that I faced a menace, a danger that I needed to overcome in order to survive. I felt as if I had no choice but to survive but how, in the face of all this competition?
I found the answer. The answer is within me.
It is that answer I am going to share with you.
But first, let me tell you a short story.
I had been fired from fourteen jobs in less than twelve years. Yes, fourteen jobs!
I was going through a divorce, not much money in my pocket and a much deflated ego. I had just been told my present job was being terminated because the distributor of major appliances I was working for was going out-of-business.
And, the day before this happened, I bought a new car, with car payments.
WOW! What do I do now?
I had always wanted to be in business for myself—actually, I was in business for myself when I was a shoe-shine boy about twelve years of age. But, this was different. This was real! But, how do I just go into business?
I have a degree in business and a major in management with a minor in economics. Is that enough to go into business as an adult? What did I know about business? At age twelve, it didn’t matter—I had moxie!
As an adult, was moxie enough to go into business? I didn’t know but, I do have courage and courage is what I needed!
With very little money I did the easiest thing there was for me to do and that was buy and sell costume jewelry to retail stores. I continued to buy and sell until I got very good at it—buy low and sell as high as I could.
This went on for a few years until I reached the doors of the big time. When I had to go head-to-head with the big boys I realized there was no way for me to compete with them.
I reached the summit of my career only to be confronted with a decision that would change my career and my philosophy regarding competition, forever.
Courage was no longer enough! I needed to do something, and quickly! There was no way for me to retreat! I had a taste of entrepreneurship and I loved that taste! I wasn’t going back!
What to do? How could I stay in business after coming this far and meeting the big boys? Failure appeared certain but, I couldn’t allow that to happen.
And, it did not happen!
I continued to grow and operate my business until I sold my business after twenty-seven years and never had a competitor. I had over seven-hundred customers when I sold my business. Yes, my customers bought from the big boys too.
What I sold is what I will share with you, now.
I realized there was no way I could possibly compete with these big boys especially, on their terms. I could not compete with these million-dollar companies because I had no money to compete with them.
I operated my business with Vendor Capitalization.
It took a little thinking for me to realize that first, I was not one of them, the big boys.
I was a little business in a big world but, there was room for me if I didn’t try to be competitive but, just be me! I realized that what I had to offer the big boys didn’t have and, that was me!
No, this is not about inflated ego! This is about reality! I could only do what I could do and, that was not try and compete with the big boys.
I studied the big boys and learned from them. I decided to offer our customers something the big boys didn’t have but, the customers wanted.
My realization was that I needed to be me and provide to my customers what they wanted in the way that I could provide.
That concept, while so simple, became so big. It worked extremely well, so much so, that my philosophy about competition has evolved to what I am sharing with you, now.
Stop trying to compete! Be yourself!
Know who you are, understand your uniqueness, offer what you are capable of offering. Be at the top of your game. There is no other in this world like you. There may be others similar as you but, they are not you nor do they have your uniqueness!
No one can offer this universe what you have to share with mankind!
Simply and confidently, tell the world how you will benefit mankind and help them prosper from your creation! Know yourself-your uniqueness-that will benefit mankind in a way no other can!
Simply present your uniqueness as a benefit for mankind to prosper.
You will understand: YOU HAVE NO COMPETITION BUT YOURSELF!
