Doing the opposite of everyone is valuable

Doing the opposite(ˈäpəzit) of everyone is valuable(ˈvaly(o͞o)əbəl)

By Derek Sivers

It’s supply(səˈplī) and demand. The more people do something, the less valuable it is.

Everyone else is multi-tasking. So it’s more valuable to single-task.

Everyone else is hyper-connected(ˈhīpər). So it’s more valuable to disconnect.

Warren(ˈwär-,ˈwôrən) Buffett’s investing(inˈvest) advice is “Be fearful when others are greedy(ˈgrēdē), and be greedy when others are fearful.”

So do what others aren’t doing.

If you play an instrument(ˈinstrəmənt), give it a twist(twist) that nobody’s done before. Like Greg Pattillo’s beatbox(ˈbētˌbäks) flute(flo͞ot). The New York Times said he’s “the only person in the world who does what he does”.

When I made a living playing colleges, I had three different acts: a rock band, a solo acoustic(əˈko͞ostik) show, and “The Professional(prəˈfeSHənl) Pests(pest)”, an act where I’d run around in a black lycra(ˈlaɪkrə) bag, bothering(ˈbäT͟Hər) people. The Professional Pests out-booked the other acts by 5-to-1, because there are tons(tôN,tən) of rock bands, tons of solo acoustic shows, but only one place to hire(hīr) a guy(gī) running around in a bag, bothering people.

Look at what your competitors(kəmˈpetətər) are doing, then vow(vou) not to do that. Don’t try to beat(bēt) them at their game. Play a completely different game. Be radically(ˈradikəl) opposite. Don’t be associated(-SHē-,əˈsōsēˌātid) with them in any way. Be so different that people don’t even think to compare you.

Before Starbucks launched, a cup of coffee almost anywhere cost 50 cents. But Starbucks wanted to sell their coffee for $4. How could they get away with it? They made a unique(yo͞oˈnēk) ambience(ˈambēəns) inside their shops. They created unique names for their sizes, like Grande and Venti(ˈventē). They created unique names for their drinks, like Frappuccino. Their offerings were so different that people accepted(akˈseptid) the $4 price(prīs) without comparing it to the typical(ˈtipikəl) 50-cent cup of coffee.

That is how different you should be. Don’t compete(kəmˈpēt). Be completely different.

https://sivers.org/contrarian