Introduction to Competition vs Ingenuity
“Think different” was an advertising slogan that was used by Apple Inc. from 1997 to 2002. We are conditioned, from birth to death – to think in a particular way. Regardless of our level of creative genius, we can realize that we are always thinking within a box – just that many do not realize this regardless of how long they live.
Even thinking outside that simply means you are thinking within another bigger box than the first small box. This conditioning and box thinking impedes creativity for the majority of people in life and in business circles. Only a few people are able to rise above mediocrity in all human endeavors. All of us are caught up in the matrix – only a few are able to get out – only to get into a much bigger matrix
Content creation and marketing are facing a similar dilemma – creativity is lacking, and it seems everybody is copying the next person. It is only the first few who take the initiative to start a unique creative venture that is truly remarkable.
All others that follow are simply going to copy the first remarkable venture. Therefore, there are many copycats in the ecosystem of the internet entrepreneur but only a few unique creators. Competition is for the losers and ingenuity is for the winners
A sample of blind copying is to take a competitor’s blog post. Then edit it manually or use software to spin the content. Change words and use synonyms. Paraphrase paragraphs but keep the main central idea. Write a different article on a similar topic and twist the body article just a little bit to make it your own.
Another example is to search for and watch top videos in your niche. Create similar videos because that is what may be gaining popularity with people. This will ensure that you are able to get some of the people to your corner.
Over-competition creates noise and saturates the ecosystem. Everybody earns a tiny piece of the reward, and everybody loses in the end.
On the other hand, Competition at the top is non-existent. Inventors, creatives, and leaders extraordinaire are rare. There is a big demand for the best of the best, and fewer or no candidates are stepping forward.
In this world, there is always a void at the top for ingenious creatives and entrepreneurs. You are welcome to step forward and apply. You do not want to become a part of the crowds scrambling for the scanty leftovers. How can you get out of the competition and become ingenuous? Here are a few list of actions to consider:
Learn philosophy
Understanding some philosophy helps you to ask the right questions and look at the whole picture. Truth is only revealed when authority is questioned.
A birds eye view of a situation is sometimes hard for people to visualize, as they become so involved in the “drama” of life. They forget that they are in a drama and fail to think on their feet and ask pertinent questions.
Do not be fooled by “so-called” experts
Personalities and experts can sway you from asking the right questions or challenging an idea you are persuaded to swallow. It can become too late to realize you have been fooled, or robbed of your nature-given right to think what you want.
This happens especially when society has awarded accolades to the expert or when there are many followers of the expert or leader. Crowd thinking, and behaviour affect all the followers including the doubtful who just came for sightseeing. Your thinking will be “If other people love it, then it must be good for me too”.
Look out for hidden intentions or motivations in people’s actions
Every action or behaviour has a hidden intention or agenda. These intentions are not voiced out or written down by people. But it will show in people’s everyday actions.
“Action speaks louder than words”
The saying goes that “Action speaks louder than words” but this can also be deceptive because smart persons can speak one thing with their actions and have hidden intentions all along. Their true intentions may be overshadowed by their fake action-speak. It can take years of observation to identify and dissect these fake action-speaks.
Learn body language
People’s body language will always give them up. By learning books or practical life experience, you can understand what every “body” is saying. Not only through their words, but through the way they handle their body. With time and practice, you will become a master of reading “body” language. Give it time.
Connect people’s written messages to their hidden intentions
This is more difficult to cultivate than the others because the writer of the message is not there in person with you. You are only trying to read between the lines of the written message without seeing the writer live.
Try to connect a written message to the author’s intentions takes years and years of practice of reading people’s writings in the form of letters, press releases, articles, reports, and so on. Usually, people hide their intentions and motivations in their minds and portray something different with their written message. Become a student of dissecting written messages’ true intentions.
Conclusion to Competition vs Ingenuity
Some special creatives that are worth mentioning here is Jaspreet Singh of Minority Mindset YouTube Channel, Robert Kiyosaki of Rich Dad Poor Dad book, Robert Greene of 48 Laws of Power book, Enya the eccentric musician, Jimmy Donaldson of MrBeast YouTube Fame, Rowan Atkinson the Mr Bean actor, and so many other creative persons all over the world.
These ingenious, creative people are in a world of their own. They own their creative juices, and it is difficult to copy them. Find your unique creative juice and pour yourself into pursuing it. You are unique upon the face of the earth. There has never been and there will never be anybody like you on earth. Be yourself. You are the brand.