Oh hey, how’s it going.
I’m just getting the shop cleaned up after a lot of weekends of bike racing with the kids. It was a crazy spring.
Being out at all of these races got me thinking about something that I thought was pretty interesting.
In most races, there are only a few riders who actually have a shot at winning on a given day. But then you have all of these other riders who are just happy to be there and doing what they love.
I keep coming back to the differences between these riders. Outside of the obvious differences in talent and training, I think there’s a fundamentally different mindset.
The riders who are there to win seem to focus on their race, their head game, their preparation, and their strengths. And they measure themselves against their own potential.
But the riders who are there to compete seem to be measuring themselves against the rest of the field. They’re less proactive and are just trying to keep up, hang on, or maybe hit a personal goal.
Both riders work hard. Both riders care deeply. But the few who show up to win spend their energy thinking differently and shape the race around themselves.
And I see the same thing happen in business every day.
Most brands are just out there competing.
They’re watching their competitors and trying to figure out how to get more clicks and likes. They start doing the same things, chasing the same trends, launching the same products, and borrowing from the same tired playbook.
Over time, the brands that compete all start blending together. And when everyone is competing and blending together, it leaves a huge hole for someone to step into and lead.
The brands that are there to lead are different types of thinkers.
They know exactly who they’re for.
They know what they believe.
They know what makes them valuable.
And they lean into what makes them different.
While they’re aware of the competition, they aren’t obsessed with it because they know who they are, and they know they can win.
Just like those athletes, they don’t ask, “What is everyone else doing?” They say, “I’m here to win by riding my own race.”
And that’s the mindset that separates the pack and leaves everyone else trying to follow and just hold on.
Alright, I’m gonna get back at it and do everything I can to win at organizing the shop here.
We’ll see you out there.
Robb