How to create an unfair advantage for yourself (keep this quiet) | by Alex Mathers | Medium


AI Summary Hide AI Generated Summary

Key Idea: Unfair Advantages

The article centers around the concept of achieving success by securing ‘unfair’ advantages, not in an unethical way, but by strategically combining wisdom and focused effort to outperform competitors.

Overcoming the Challenges of Competition

It highlights the difficulties faced by creators in today’s competitive environment, comparing them to insignificant dots in a vast landscape. The author emphasizes the need to stand out from the crowd to gain traction.

Gaining an Edge

The article suggests that those who succeed often possess these ‘unfair’ advantages, not due to injustice, but because of a superior combination of strategic thinking and dedicated work. It implicitly advocates for developing such a skillset to reach one's goals more efficiently.

Sign in to unlock more AI features Sign in with Google
Follow Alex’s Instagram for more art.

How to create an unfair advantage for yourself (keep this quiet)

It’s tough to make an impact with your creations these days. It always was, but these days especially.

You are a tiny grey dot in a sea of dots.

You work hard to create something fresh. You share it. It might get some interest and a few likes.

Big whoop.

You wonder whether you should give up. All this work for very little response is quite defeating.

It feels like you are running in a hamster wheel with ever greater intensity, but the same results.

To make a dent, to gain this ‘traction’ thing, you simply cannot be another grey dot. You have to be different in some way.

What is that way?

Something I’ve had to get comfortable with is the idea that those who succeed have ‘unfair’ advantages.

If they didn’t, there wouldn’t be such a thing as relative success, and we’d have nothing exciting to pursue.

I’m not talking about unfair in the sense of ‘injustice,’ though some do it that way too.

I’m talking about figuring out how to think and act in a way that combines wisdom and intensity so that you gain ground more quickly and efficiently than your furry, hamster-faced competitor.

Was this article displayed correctly? Not happy with what you see?

We located an Open Access version of this article, legally shared by the author or publisher. Open It
Tabs Reminder: Tabs piling up in your browser? Set a reminder for them, close them and get notified at the right time.

Try our Chrome extension today!


Share this article with your
friends and colleagues.
Earn points from views and
referrals who sign up.
Learn more

Facebook

Save articles to reading lists
and access them on any device


Share this article with your
friends and colleagues.
Earn points from views and
referrals who sign up.
Learn more

Facebook

Save articles to reading lists
and access them on any device