Reader, did you know that competing is a choice?

Right now you might be seeing thousands of other people doing exactly what you do.

I've had clients express their concerns to me about this. Even the ones with a loyal client base and a healthy bank balance.

They worry that their skills are becoming a commodity, and that one day, there will simply be too much competition for them to make a living out of this.

But if you truly embrace what I'm about to share here, your perspective will completely change. You will no longer be concerned about "the competition".

Stop competing and do this instead

People often console themselves with the phrase "there are no competitors, there are only collaborators"

And that's a lovely way to think... but those collaborators? They're still your competitors, because they are competing for the same portion of the market as you.

So here's my advice instead: simply stop competing.

Take yourself out of the race.

And instead, run a race of your own.

How to create a "category of one" business

I don't care what you sell - you can do it in a unique way that has zero competition.

To do this probably requires a complete paradigm shift in your way of thinking. But I promise, it is worth it.

To start, keep this mantra in mind: as a business owner it is not my job to compete for what already exists. It is my job to create something that does not currently exist.

Here are a few things to think about:

• Your personal history - what's your story? Your experience?
• Your collection of soft and hard skills - what can you do? What's your zone of genius?
• Your value system - what do you believe?
• Your motivation - what do you care about?

Because here it is: your business will always mirror you. And you are totally unique. So stop copying everyone else and groove your own path.

When I leaned into who I was and set up a web dev business to support small charities back in 2018, I shot to the top of Google and tripled my income. Simply by blazing my own trail. I trusted in my intuition and embraced my uniqueness, and everything fell into place.

​

The problem with the online service space these days is that it resembles a noisy market, with stall after stall selling the same produce, from the same supplier and the only way to compete is on low prices and loud voices.

That's not the game I want to play, and I don't want you to play it either.

So stop competing. Start creating. Your unique way of doing things already lives within you. Take time to reflect on this, let it loose and watch everything else sort itself out.

Until next time,

Matt Saunders

P.s. here's how to work with me:

1) The Solo Collective is opening its doors to new members very soon. We're a supportive community of solo business owners who meet weekly. Get on the list.

2) I am so passionate about helping business owners crush it on the confidence front, I'm running a masterclass on how to develop unstoppable self-confidence. Everything you want is on the other side of your fear. Register for the free masterclass here.