Lately the show “Britain’s Got Talent” has been getting a lot of pub. Most recently due to the amazing singing performance of Susan Boyle. But today I watched an incredible dance performance by a group on the show named “Flawless.” When Simon Cowell asks the group “Tell me, what’s the ambition here?” The leader’s response is “Chase the dream, not the competition.”
I have no idea if this is an original thought of his own, or if he got it from someone else. Who cares. I LOVE it! As we continue our look at branding and uniqueness, a topic that frequently comes up is looking at other people’s work.
Do you look at the work of your colleagues/competition (including how they run their business) and long “to be like them”? Do you find yourself getting so caught up in one competitor in particular it drives you batty? Well, it’s good to be driven by competition. It’s what keeps companies on their toes to always better their product and their service. But don’t be so obsessed with your competition that you lose sight of what you really should be aiming for: your dream. Whatever that may be.
So here’s my challenge for you:
- Dream it: if you don’t already have one, create the image of your dream. Write out in detail what you want for your business and your life. Attach some pictures to it. Make it real. (For us it’s a Skywalker Ranch style compound called “Dare Dreamer Ranch,” or DDR for short.)
- Set it: set a date for when you plan to achieve that dream. It may be one year. Two years. Twenty years. But SET A DATE. (DDR’s date is about ten years hence).
- Forget ‘em: that is, your competition. For one month, don’t look at any competitor’s work, read any article or forum posts about a competitor, etc. Put all your energy and effort into figuring out what’s necessary to achieve your dream. (Note: if you can’t go a whole month, at LEAST try two weeks). Note: you ARE allowed to read this blog.
For inspiration, check out the dance performance by Flawless. Click the image to watch it on YouTube.
