Do Not Be Jealous Of Your Competitors

As a result of my exploring the original Erie Canal and the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, New York last month, I am reading the great book Bond of Union: Building The Erie Canal and the American Empire by Gerard Koeppel. Koeppel quoted Theodore Roosevelt as saying, “He was too jealous of all of his competitors” of DeWitt Clinton. Clinton played a role in making the Erie Canal a reality. Clinton was a major political figure in New York and served as Governor from 1817 to 1822 and from 1825 to 1828, and presided over the construction of the Erie Canal. He was never able to secure his ultimate goal of being President of the United States. I found Roosevelt’s description of Clinton’s fault of being too jealous of his competitors and interesting one, and one we should be aware of. An excessive and unhealthy fixation on what our competitors are doing can be detrimental to our own lives and businesses because it distracts us from focusing on our own strengths and unique value propositions.

“As a bond of union between the Atlantic and Western states… it will create the greatest inland trade ever witnessed.” ~ DeWitt Clinton

When we are too jealous of our competitors, we may constantly compare ourself to them, feel threatened by their successes, and try to imitate their strategies without considering if they are suitable for our own context. This can lead to a lack of authenticity and differentiation, which ultimately hampers our ability to stand out in the market.

Instead of being excessively jealous of our competitors, it’s important to maintain a healthy level of awareness and observation. Stay informed about social and industry trends and what our competitors are doing, but use this information as inspiration to improve our own messaging, products, services, and strategies.

We need to be focused on our own strengths, unique selling points, and needs of those we serve. By emphasizing our own value proposition and continuously innovating and adapting, we can establish a strong position in the market and attract customers based on the merits of our own offerings.

Byron's Babbles