I participate in a great peer group called Renaissance Executive Forums.  Maureen Boyt, who leads the group was commenting this morning on competition.  She was noting that there’s generally plenty of work to go around for everyone.  I’ve often thought that there’s no shortage of customers (especially for a web design company in Northern Colorado) so our competition shouldn’t be of concern.  But Maureen, with her wisdom that I greatly respect, pointed out that our only competition is our ego and our apathy.  Brilliant.  When you stop to think about what’s really holding you back, what’s most responsible for your lack of success, I bet you can build a better case to blame yourself than your competition.  So then why do companies spend so much time focusing on the competition?  What’s the competition selling?  How much are they selling it for?  What are they doing differently than we are?  It seems to me that the conversations about the competition are simply a smoke screen to hide what we all know is the real culprit for our lack of success.  Once you realize that it’s not your competitors who are holding you back, but yourself, you’ll have overcome a huge hurdle and will already be on your way to turning your life and your business around.  Good Luck!

Chadd Bryant