Innovation is More Important than Competition

Note: This article is based on the work of Darius Foroux, who talks about encouraging innovation instead of competition.

This means that we lose the opportunity to get the business itself, and if a company has a certain market share, we have to compete to “win” part of its share.

At least that's what the conventional advice says, and it's also what we learn in business school. As all educational programs are based on the concept of competition with other companies, just as all business and project books assume that the business world is based on competition, and this is far from the truth.

When you assume that you are forced to compete with other companies and people for money, jobs, or attention, your thinking is limited, and your horizon is narrow. and we should instead adopt an abundance mentality, as Wallace D. Wattles, one of the most famous personal development writers, says: "You have to get rid of the idea of competition, and you have to innovate instead of competing with what others have done before you, and you don't have to take anything from anyone."

The biggest mistake traditional business thinkers make is that they consider opportunities, offers, or businesses limited, but this does not always happen, and if this is the case, then it is harmful to adopt this mindset. So I think most people, businessmen, and employees are afraid of being ahead of them.

We are afraid of losing our customers, business, deals, and interest in us, and as a result, we lose everything we worked hard to obtain. and herein lies the problem precisely and the fear grows, and that you will not succeed as long as you are afraid of losing.

Life is full of opportunities

It is enough to take a cursory glance at history to know that humanity has continued to move forward. Although we have, of course, witnessed wars and economic crises, we have always overcome them and prospered again. So when you expect the world economy to not grow, your bet is lost.

This is impossible. It is our habit, as humans, to find a path to survival and prosperity. This is simply our nature. So you must believe that we live in an abundant world that contains enough wealth and opportunities for everyone. Therefore, do not allow yourself to think that you are unable to succeed because this will not do you any good.

If you are not able to find a suitable profession, create one

You know that life is not easy and that it is not easy to find a profession that fully satisfies you on the financial and psychological levels. Millions of people face this challenge, and most of them limit themselves with the belief that they cannot create a profession. Still, similar to the way entrepreneurs and companies must find market share, individuals must create their profession.

Searching a bit for the “Chief Happiness Officer” position, which seems somewhat strange, it turns out that Ronald McDonald was the first to hold the position of Chief Happiness Officer (CHO) in 2003, and technology companies have since started adopting this job title.

The owner of this job is responsible for the wellness and happiness of employees. The businessman Tony Hsieh, the former CEO of the shoe and clothing company Zappos, is a staunch supporter of employee happiness, but traditional companies think this is absurd. At first, the company mentioned above suggested the idea, and of course, she didn't have the job title "Chief Happiness Officer" so she had to come up with this job.

In the past, managers believed that salary was the only reason why people worked for themselves. The more money you offered, the more talent you could attract. Perhaps this thinking is realistic for some people, but money is not always the answer.

Most people pay more attention to having fun, being happy, and appreciating their efforts at work, and this is exactly what the position of Chief Happiness Officer works to achieve. The bottom line is that it does not matter what others think; If you believe in something and you can create value, then go for it. You will always find someone who tells you things like:

1. "Nobody needs this job."
2. "Your work is worthless."
3. "You are wasting your time."

Pay no heed to these doubters, let them drown in their outdated beliefs, and instead just innovate.

In conclusion

There are enough opportunities for everyone, and the problem is that most people do not seize them. If you want a particular profession, create it, and so should companies. So don't focus on sources that give you limited information, critics, or any other reason that discourages you from doing what you do.

Adopt an abundance mentality, and then you will have so many opportunities that you will not know which one to choose, and this is what we call in the Netherlands a “Luxury problem”, believe me, it is the only problem you have to suffer.