Have you ever run in a running event? A Mother’s Day Classic? A Marathon?

When you stood in the pack with all of the other competitors before the start of the race were you thinking you had to beat them?

When you finally made your way to cross the start line for your race to begin, did you think to yourself “boy, I’m a long way back from the start of the pack, what’s the point?” 
In the middle of the race, as you started passing other runners and other runners started passing you, did you have any idea of what position you were in the race?
And when you finally crossed that finish line after running all that way were you disappointed with yourself because you didn’t place?

Of course not.

Because unless you are a professional athlete, you ran for fun and you ran against yourself. You had your own agenda, strengths and limitations. You were aware that there were others on the track, and needed to alter your course and pace accordingly to dodge around other people. But you didn’t change your course or your tactics to get yourself to the finish line. And you weren’t competing against anyone else on the track, you were there for your own personal success.

Competing in business is exactly the same.

There is more than one business in the market that offers the same products and services that you do. There is more than one brand of milk; more than one brand of bread; and more than one brand of running shoe.

Whilst it is important to be aware of what our competitors are doing, and we may need to alter our course slightly to accommodate, like them, you have your own course and agenda to follow. And if you are knee jerking changes in your business because of something your competitor has done, you will always be behind them. Don’t be afraid to watch and learn from them for you to do things better.

Stay true to you and stick to your plan and run your own race.