Worry about the competition? Focus on teamwork and collaboration and learn how to make competition completely irrelevant then watch your business grow!
Our August 2016 Wall of Fame is finally here! Yes, I’m 100% aware that August was some time ago. Unfortunately, real life has a way of surprising us sometimes (also, morning sickness should be renamed to all-day-sickness). Even so, the topics of teamwork and collaboration deserve our attention… So let’s give a belated welcome to August’s Wall of Fame Editor’s Choice winner, Marie Lexa! She’s about to tell us how to make competition completely irrelevant.
From our Guest Editor of the Month, Nicki: This was very well-written. It brings up some very good points, and a great perspective. Really spoke to me cause I totally agree with Marie’s perspective working with each other rather than against each other.
About the Author: Marie Lexa, Business Strategist & Coach, empowers entrepreneurial women to build thriving businesses and lifestyles entirely on their own terms. Marie is passionate about redefining success and leveraging talent and creativity to create a life in which freedom, money, and balance are abundant. She believes that a woman can “have it all” and should not need to compromise on any of her desires. Marie’s background is in strategy consulting, after graduating from London Business School. She has learned from and worked with leaders in the industry, including Marie Forleo, Amy Porterfield, Stephanie Nickolich, Emily Williams, Dani Watson, and Jacqueline Hurst. For more information, visit Marie at www.marielexa.com and grab your free training to pick your lucrative niche at www.marielexa.com/niche
How to Make Competition Completely Irrelevant
How to Make Competition Completely Irrelevant originally appeared on Marie Lexa and we thank her for her entry in our contest.
What initially seems frustrating….
At first glance across your niche online, it may seem like the competition is endless and the market is completely saturated. Anywhere you look, on social media, on blogs, at networking events… they all seem to be doing your thing … and to be having great success (a lot more than you, you might think)! You might have considered whether it’s even worth going down this route, or you might have thought of giving up when your progress seems so slow and results insignificant compared to others. All of this can be quite overwhelming – especially if you are just starting out.
… Can quickly become totally insignificant once you implement these tricks
The important thing here is to love what you do and focus on being yourself and sharing your message. When you have your own voice, nobody is doing and sharing the same as you are. Every person is uniquely different, which is the whole beauty of online businesses. There is no way the thousands of other business owners/ coaches/ bloggers are remotely identical. Your mindset, attitude, learnings, experiences, style of communication, a way of listening, education, sense of humor, past challenges, and so on is completely unique.
[clickToTweet tweet=”How to Make the Competition Completely Irrelevant #WallOfFame #IBABloggers” quote=”Focus on being yourself and sharing your message! Make the competition completely irrelevant.”]
From fighting to sharing and teamwork
When you focus on sharing this uniqueness with an open mind, instead of fighting/ trying to compete/ forcing yourself into doing and sharing things that do not feel right, everything starts falling into place. It becomes so much easier to create excellent content and to attract the right people, the ones you are really meant to be working with. Rather than working against your competitors, you are now working as a team, all attracting your uniquely different dream clients.
Your expert status
Your clients are often not attracted to the biggest and most famous gurus and experts. Rather they seek advice from people that are relatable, whose story resonates with their own. They would much rather work with someone who has been in their own shoes not so long ago, and who has made it to where they want to be in a short period of time – rather than someone who is miles away from their current state. People buy into your brand and voice – not into the years of experience you have clocked in.
“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.”
From competition to collaboration
The next key action to make your competition irrelevant is to collaborate. Once you start supporting and contributing, you will not only be adding unique value, and as such attracting and connecting with your audience and ideal client, you will also start receiving. It’s a two-way give and receives cycle that keeps compounding the more you put into it. Get out of the negative mindset that you should keep your best things to yourself that you should try to compete by imitation, that everyone else is doing what you had already planned on doing. Focus on teamwork and adding value instead.
[clickToTweet tweet=”How to Make the Competiton Completely Irrelevant #WallOfFame #IBABloggers” quote=”Focus on teamwork and adding value! Make the competition completely irrelevant.”]
From comparison to creation
Finally, get rid of all types of comparison, and instead focus on creation. It’s amazing to have people to look up to, and I have so many role models and inspirations that give me things to look forward to, fit into my vision, and help me set bigger goals than I ever would have dreamed of. But feeling like you’re not good enough or wondering why you have not achieved X or Z is completely pointless. Firstly there is no point being envious of someone you barely know. You have no idea what kind of struggles they are going through. You might think their life is so much more amazing than yours. There is a high chance this is far from being the case, and they would severely envy many other facets of your own life.
Secondly, often we compare, we are looking at people who are at completely different stages of their journey than we are. They have been going at it for a very long time, have worked extra hard, and have built their success over time. Nothing happens over night, so be assured that your time will come; it just requires patience, consistency, passion, and authenticity. To make that happen, it’s a much better use of your time to focus on creating great content, great products, and taking the time to share and add value consistently.
Never hesitate to get the support your need
This also means not hesitating to reach out for support when you need it. Everybody is at a different stage of their journey, and you can learn so much from others who have seen or done it before. This could mean investing in a coach, turning to your mentor, getting input from your team, or reaching out for more informal advice to people you look up to. The kind people you want to hang out with who are successful will most likely be in that giving mindset. What you consistently learn and receive you will then be able to share with others when the time is right. Teamwork has the potential to skyrocket every single person’s dream. ”
When was a time that teamwork saved your bacon? Let me know about it below!
August’s Guest Editor is Nicki
Nicki of Lewis Lane Designs is a proud fire wifey to Jeremy, a rescue mom to tabby cat Arya, a web designer, and a Dallas sports fan living in Dallas. She blogs about everything from recipes to sports to travel and beyond. Feel free to email her at nicki@lewislanedesigns.com.
Be on the look out for your chance to be our next Wall of Fame Blogger OR maybe you want to become our next guest editor? The IBA Wall of Fame will return soon!
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