You can’t depend on your judgment when your imagination is out of focus.
Mark Twain, Mark Twain’s Notebook
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Never try to beat the competition at their game. Instead, beat them at your game.
It’s very tempting to want to beat the competition in everything that they’re good at. But, think of Michael Phelps: even he—the most decorated Olympian of all time—didn’t try to compete in Olympic races that weren’t his strength—like the 100m and 400m freestyle.
Companies only have a limited number of resources. So, when they try to improve their weaknesses to be competitive, they often end up ignoring their strengths, which are likely what their customers love about them and make them unique. And, if they improve their weaknesses to the detriment of their strengths, they end up just being undifferentiated from the competition: either ends up being as good a choice to their customers.
If you’ve built a strong vision for your business, the plan for achieving it should focus on your strengths. Sticking to a strength-based plan for achieving your vision is a key to success.
Are you doing anything that isn’t a real strength just because the competition is excelling at it?