How to rock out as a flamingo in a flock of peacocks
Not the analogy you were expecting is it? That’s the point. In life we’re not always the hippest, coolest or trendiest kids on the block, but we are one-of-a-kind for sure. There is not another you (even if you’re a twin – you might look the same, but you’re a whole other bag of skittles).
So now that you know you’re amazing, how do you differentiate yourself as a brand and professional?
If you’re a flamingo, be the best flamingo you can be
A flamingo can’t be a peacock and a peacock can’t be an eagle – they all belong to the same species yet are uniquely different. The key is to own your YOUness. The difference between a competitor’s product and your own (if we’re talking pigeons for pigeons here) is YOU. Your experience, your credibility and the way you engage with your customers sets you apart from the rest. Never ever EVER underestimate how important it is to bring your authentic self to the table every day.
A flamingo isn’t less spectacular just because the peacock rocks
Stop being so hard on yourself! We are constantly comparing ourselves to other people and brands and then beat ourselves up or manage to talk ourselves right out of business because we feel we can’t compete. How insane is that? Seriously, if you want to differentiate yourself, then stop trying to measure your progress against people who – quite frankly – are in a league of their own with years of experience. Simply, don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle or end. Do you think a flamingo cares that the peacock has a prettier tail? Hello no! The flamingo simply struts its sassy self, straight up to centre stage.
A flamingo doesn’t apologise for molting
There just is no good reason for walking around making excuses for your shortcomings (we all have them by the way). Flashing disclaimers about all the things that we feel we fall short of is counterintuitive. I have never heard a Nike advert say… ‘Oh by the way, if you train in our shoes, you might need a gas mask once you remove the sweaty trainers’. Have you? Even when the flamingo is molting and not totally looking its best, you can bet your butt that they are going to make sure that you take notice of them and that they are the center of attention.
In short, it’s the YOUness people remember, not your value proposition. Never change who you are to sell more product or services, never try and mould yourself to look like your competitors. Finally, play the game even if you feel you’re not where you need to be. You have no idea when success will manifest so even if you feel unworthy, not good enough and all the other fun stuff we tell ourselves, just keep playing.
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