Average is The Enemy
In the fervent realm of modern-day business, the doctrine of “average” is not just your adversary — it’s a veritable death sentence. When I think about the disruptive landscapes, be it the vaunted halls of Big Tech or the vivacious startups lurking in the alleys of Silicon Alley and Silicon Valley, one tenet becomes painfully evident: there’s no room for the lukewarm, the mediocre, the average.
Let’s break this down.
Survival of the Most Exceptional
Ever notice how Amazon doesn’t aim to be your run-of-the-mill e-commerce platform? Or how Apple never pitches itself as just another tech company? No, they’re striving to be your everything store and your luxury tech companion, respectively. If you’re not exceptional, you’re indistinguishable from the din of competition.
The Age of Algorithms
We’re living in an algorithm-driven epoch. Whether it’s YouTube recommending what to watch next or Google deciding which websites are worth your time, these algorithms favor the spectacular and the distinct. Being average is akin to being invisible. No algorithm will root for your cause if your cause is plain vanilla.
Winner-Takes-All Economy
As I’ve often harped on, in the digital age, the marketplace is increasingly skewed toward a winner-takes-all dynamic. The chasm between the victor and the runner-up is not a chasm — it’s an entire cosmos. Facebook in social media, Google in search, Netflix in streaming — these giants didn’t ascend their thrones by being ‘good enough’. They dominated, annihilated their competition, and redefined their sectors. In such a world, what hope does average hold?
Consumer Expectations
We, the ever-evolving consumer species, are no longer placated by the ordinary. We crave experiences, stories, and products that transcend the norms. Brands that fail to recognize this appetite for the extraordinary find themselves discarded, lost in the unending maze of consumer indifference.
Branding in the Age of Digital
In a world intoxicated by digital influence, strong brands matter more than ever. And guess what strong brands aren’t? You guessed it: average. A brand that can’t resonate, that doesn’t evoke fierce loyalty or passionate disdain, is a brand on borrowed time. It’s the brands that elicit emotion, that stand for something, that endure.
The Antidote to Average
So, what’s the antidote to this nefarious allure of the average?
Distinction
Embrace what makes you or your venture unique. Don’t just find your niche; own it, expand it, make it indispensable.
Audacity
The biggest triumphs often reside just beyond the border of comfort. In the throes of risk and the audacious lies the potential for greatness.
Constant Evolution
The digital age is no place for complacency. Be relentless in your pursuit of improvement. Learn, unlearn, and relearn.
Depth Over Breadth
It’s tempting to be a jack-of-all-trades in a multifaceted digital arena. Resist that urge. Mastery trumps mediocrity, always.
In channeling our inner alphas, our inner disruptors, we must internalize that in this digital epoch, ‘average’ isn’t just inadequate — it’s obsolete. As the dynamism of the 21st century unfolds, remember: obscurity is the offspring of ordinariness. The clarion call for our times isn’t just to be good, or even great. It’s to be phenomenal.
In the vast chessboard of business and life, don’t be a pawn lost in the masses. Aim to be the king, the queen — the piece that leaves an indelible mark. After all, in this high-stakes game, “Average is the Enemy”.
Brian Fink is the author of Talk Tech To Me. He takes on the stress and strain of complex technology concepts and simplifies them for the modern recruiter. Fink’s impassioned wit and humor tackle the highs and lows of technical recruiting with a unique perspective — a perspective intended to help you find, engage, and partner with professionals.
