Collaboration over Competition
You’re feeling great, accomplishing things, and taking names. You’re doing great and then you open Instagram subconsciously, and then you see something that makes you feel less than you were feeling before you opened the app. Perhaps some big grand advancement happened for a colleague or your friend from high school is pregnant- and you aren’t even married. What a shitty feeling to be feeling great, all to end up feeling like shit.
We’ve ALL been there. But the truth is, who gives a shit about them? I mean yeah of course you love them.. But what’s happening to them is not for you. It’s not your path. You didn’t put in the same work she did, you don’t have the same connections, hardships or weaknesses. Therefore, instead of looking at them with jealousy, look at them as inspiration for your unique ending to a similar story. With the blessing of being ever so connected comes the curse of becoming bombarded with competition and pressure to amount to something other than who you are at this very moment.
Compete with others and become bitter
Compete with yourself and become better.
The fear of competition was so suffocating for me, that it stopped me from taking the leap into taking myself seriously. I spent too much time analyzing the efforts of people in my industry, admiring them from afar, but harshly judging myself on the coulda, woulda, shoulda’s of what I may have amounted to- if only I had chosen my path differently.
The truth is, even if another brand is similar, they cannot immolate the same values and dynamics that your path has taught you. The lessons and grit that’s gotten you this far is the voice that tells your brand’s story. No one can create a brand built on the same ideals and beliefs as yours, because a good brand is founded on authenticity. Everything down to the fonts and colors you’ve chosen is unique to you. The reason you went into the field you did, all the things that you love about it- makes your brand a one and only.
When you begin to admire your individuality as your brand’s flair, competition will transform to opportunity. You’ll start to identify and appreciate the individuality of other industry professionals, respecting their path as their own-a path that unfolded at a pace appropriate for them, unique to them. You become compassionately curious as to how they got this far. They become more approachable. You see their path as a mirror, and begin to see opportunities to work together, sharing resources, insights, and perspectives.
The market will continue to saturate. We are unable to reinvent the wheel, we can only share our spin on it. Let’s embrace the uniqueness compassionately! Look at the competition as a friend that’s on a very similar career path, and would be willing to teach you how they got where they are.
No matter how successful or unapproachable they may be, your perspective has the ability to teach them something, too. Allow them to embrace that opportunity as they see fit. Let them know you admire them or tell them what they do that you aspire to acquire. Most people are more than willing to share what makes them passionate.
Embrace each other simply as people willing to teach us how we can be better, in the ways we seek to grow- because by channeling their efforts, you can better understand your aspirations. We’re only as good as the person we are today. The only person we are better than is the person we were yesterday.
When you see someone you might consider competition, kindly ask yourself what they offer that inspires you? Surely you’re not spending your time gawking at a brand with absolutely no competition to you at all. Take a step back and embrace their offerings as an opportunity to connect to them and learn something.
We must embrace each other as friends willing to help each other get the most out of life. We each have a perspective that is unique and authentic to us. When understanding our competition benevolently, we understand them as opportunities to work together to make your industry better, as well as yourself and each other.
