Success Advice
3 Reasons Why Being An Underdog Is Your Secret Weapon
What if I were to tell you that being the underdog would give you more power than you could ever dream of. Would you think I was crazy?
Maybe so, but aren’t all geniuses? The moral of the story is that if you feel like an underdog somewhere in life, you actually have a massive competitive advantage if you play your cards right.
While others spend their lives sulking because their parents didn’t spoil them relentlessly, you know better. You know that being an underdog in life can prepare you for greatness.
Below are 3 reasons why being the little guy can actually be your winning ticket:
1. History proves underdogs come out on top
From David & Goliath to Donald Trump, history has shown us that being an outsider can prove to be your secret weapon. In the tale of David & Goliath, David was so much smaller that any sane person would’ve projected him to get clobbered by his gigantic opponent. That’s just physics, right?
Wrong. You see David was far smaller, but he also had one heck of a swing. So much so, that when he threw a rock at his target, Goliath was so thrown off that he couldn’t even see straight. The enemy was down for the count. In our own lives, we must remember that just because the cards may appear stacked against us, the game is not necessarily over. Don’t give up too soon. Just because you might not look like those who have succeeded in the past, realize that your unique set of capabilities could help you win in the end.
“I’m very competitive by nature. And I like to be the underdog – It’s the best way to win. To come from behind and win is a great feeling!” – Zac Efron
2. Underdogs don’t play by the rules
If weaker opponents always played by the rules of the game, they would, of course, lose a majority of the time. The competition is naturally stacked against them with a list of assets they are lacking. However, when a hypothetical long shot decides to bypass the rules, he or she unlocks more power than can be imagined.
You see, the projected winner knows what it takes to master the game. They have the tried & true skills that it takes to succeed. When an underdog is compared to these standards, he or she will always come up short. Yet, when they decide to play unconventionally, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. By forgoing the rules of the game, the dark horses of this world can spot holes in the competition.
3. Underdogs have nothing to lose
When you start from the bottom, you don’t have much to lose. While the establishment has everything to lose including their reputation, assets and power, outsiders can play by whatever means they wish. They are not held to any standard. This is power, in itself. If you’re an underdog somewhere in life, realize that this could give you power in that you’re not held to the same constraints as others who have been playing the game for years.
You don’t have to wait on anyone’s approval to get started. You don’t need to ask anyone for permission; you can instead map out plans for getting to your goal in whatever way you see fit. For instance, if you’re operating on a shoestring budget instead of pulling from a pool of money, see this as a chance to get creative and do things your own way. This could be your key to success in the end.
“The fact of being an underdog changes people in ways that we often fail to appreciate. It opens doors and creates opportunities and enlightens and permits things that might otherwise have seemed unthinkable.” – Malcolm Gladwell
To be an underdog is often to go up against the “establishment.” If you learn to spot holes in the system, you’ll undoubtedly come out victorious. While others waste time trying to master the game, underdogs see hidden opportunities.
Next time you feel like the underdog, will you play by the rules or decide to reinvent the game? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
Success Advice
How to Alter Your Business Approach With Technological Advancements
Keeping up with technological trends has become a challenge for almost every business owner.
Technology’s evolution has impacted everything, and business is no exception. Keeping up with technological trends has become a challenge for almost every business owner. Entrepreneurs unable to do so are being wiped out of the market.
There is no doubt that AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) have taken over the business world. These technological advancements are impacting decision-making, success percentages, and other entrepreneurial aspects.
Adapting to these developments is integral to business success. Let’s explore how you can accomplish these milestones.
Embed the strength of AI and ML.
AI has modified business operations in major ways. For instance, companies have employed bots for customer support. These bots go through an effective learning process via Machine Learning before being able to answer like humans.
Bots can also perform detailed data analytics and make business moves with high success percentages.
ML is used more for the analysis of data chunks and generating successful predictions. This simply means that business owners do not have to worry about large-scale financial losses.
In terms of deployment and usage, a reputed company like Netflix employs machine learning for decision-making.
Blockchain is increasing the count of business opportunities
Tampering of financial transactions is quite common and causes severe monetary damage to customers. With the rise of digital payments, this risk has increased.
Blockchain is used to elevate your experience for monetary transfers. It combats penetrating events to extract confidential customer information.
Most business sectors are using block chain but finance and supply chain management sections have a higher count. These two corporate sections have several monetary deposits and withdrawals taking place.
In terms of percentage, approximately 72% and 5% of finance and supply chain firms have implemented block chain successfully.
Dedicate Yourself to Continuous Learning and Individual Development
You invest in learning some of the very important skills, including digital marketing, financial management, and how to gain customers as an entrepreneur.
You need to set up your knowledge base about doing business on Coursera and Udemy with the basics that are necessary for the business, building further by networking with experts through webinars.
Besides, Agile methodology will introduce elasticity to your company: this review and feedback system with further correction regularly will allow for enhancing efficiency and promptly reacting to the market.
Developing key skills to achieve goals
Running a business successfully is not only about having niche/domain knowledge. Business owners need to have communication / soft skills as well in addition to niche information.
Here are some key technical/domain-related areas that business owners should have a strong grip on.
Data Storage on Cloud: These days, companies do not store their data on physical servers. Therefore business owners should know how data is stored/edited/removed/updated via AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and other platforms.
Data Analysis/Interpretation Qualities: These days, data is as precious as gold. Business owners with data analysis abilities make correct predictions. As a result, their ventures grow in volume.
Development/Coding Knowledge
Programming knowledge gives business owners an edge whether the application is developed in-house or outsourced. It assists in getting updates deployed and handling application underperformance without getting professional support every time.
Hacking proof framework
There is no benefit of having an advanced automated system if can be penetrated. Successful business owners have above-average knowledge of cyber security and hacking attempts. They are able to choose top-notch anti-hacking software without much of an ambiguity.
Communication Abilities/Soft Skills
Here are some key communication qualities that business owners should have:
Communication/Conversation: Business owners should use to-the-point sentences in both written and oral communication.
Issue Resolution Abilities: Business owners should be able to drill down to problems and solve them. This is done successfully only if an entrepreneur has in-depth business domain knowledge.
Agile Implementations
It is mandatory for business owners to have knowledge of iterative/agile models. With such a competitive environment, it is impossible for business owners to succeed without adopting an agile framework.
Create a productive well-crafted Business Strategy
A productive business venture starts with a clear vision. The first factor making a business successful is the idea behind it. It helps with endless growth and combating competition successfully. Katherine Philips once mentioned that business goals are inevitable if goals are set concretely.
- Goals should be based on smart achievements instead of complexity. Focus on the value that each one of them adds.
- Business objectives should not be vague. Key indicators should be constructed to measure the success/failure of each milestone.
- Be realistic when setting goals. Do not aim at impossible milestones since they can be demotivating.
- Milestones/goals need to be time-bound. Set a completion deadline for each one of them.
- Business goals should not be alien. Owners can think out of the box but not be obsolete / unrelated.
Create a productive well-crafted Business Strategy
Business owners cannot succeed without having a network. Some tips help in this case. Attend conferences and professional gatherings to connect with other entrepreneurs.
Here are some other related points business owners should pay attention to.
- Attend meetings and conferences to stay updated with trends and meet business owners who already have well-set ventures. This helps in enhancing the learning curve of new / growing entrepreneurs.
- Being a part of business communities/groups is very productive. When one shares opinions and discusses decision-making tactics, it helps in preventing errors and enhancing success rate.
- Even the most experienced business owners have mentors as learning never stops. Take part in mentorship programs so there is an assurance that you are following the correct roadmap.
Conclusion
There is absolutely no doubt that business dimensions have evolved with technological advancements. Successful entrepreneurs have grabbed these changes in due course of time and continue to evolve. On the other hand, people following old paths and conventional steps fade out of competition. In a nutshell, keep an eye on the processes and practices you follow as these factors decide success rate.
Success Advice
Understanding the Power of Yes and No: How to Create Boundaries For Success
These words have a significant impact on how our success unfolds
The two smallest yet most powerful words in life, “Yes” and “No,” have a big impact on our growth on both personal and professional levels. In addition to affecting the choices we make every day, these words have a significant impact on how our success unfolds. (more…)
Motivation
From Couch Potato to Go-Getter: A Step-by-Step Motivation Plan for Everyone
By understanding what motivates you, you can turn your dreams into reality
Are you tired of feeling like a couch potato? Do you want to transform your life and become a go-getter? You’re not alone! Many people struggle with motivation, but the good news is that change is possible. (more…)
Success Advice
10 Micro Financial Habits for More Wealth and Peace of Mind
The World Economic Forum still reports that half of U.S. adults lack financial literacy
You’ve heard about developing financial habits, but what about micro-financial habits? Micro habits are the tiny things you can do every day with minimal effort that, together, transform your future. (more…)
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