If ever there’s something that should be deeply ingrained into the ‘Self Help Bible of Wisdom’ it’s the commandment: “Look for where you have the edge to succeed.” Indeed this cannot be underestimated.
Stay with me on this. Don’t hang up here. See it as an opportunity. After reading this article you might just gain an insight for yourself and discover where that edge to succeed exists and what’s needed… so you may want to thank me later on for that!
Remember, an insight can allow you to accomplish or achieve something that you wouldn’t have been able to if you hadn’t got that insight. -All part of the journey along the road to self-awareness.
So, first, allow me to start with an analogy and then make a valuable point.
Let’s say that there are 2 virtually identical shops selling the same products. Exactly the same sizes as each other, both shops are located on opposite sides of the town centre square (downtown square in American). In other words, both shops have equal chances of being frequented by customers. However, one shop gets far more customers than then other.
-Ever been in a situation where you’ve seen this happening? Ever wondered why this happens?
It’s because the shop with the more customers has ‘the edge.’ It has a few differences, which could be quite small, that the other shop doesn’t have, which is why customers choose to frequent this shop more than the other. These attractive small differences had made all the difference in the world to customers when choosing:
Given this, how exactly does that work, and in what way?
Well, it’s a simple play on human nature. Because human beings are walking, talking, living, breathing, meaning and justification machines: They will look for comparisons no matter how small when presented with a choice between exact or similar things. This will be done to justify their choice whether it’s made consciously or unconsciously…
So this is what happens: Taking the case of shops as an example, businessmen know that customers are walking, talking, living, breathing meaning and justification machines when it comes to making choices. This is why businessmen and their associates spend a lot of their time and money looking for those small differences that will be enough to make customers choose them and give their product the edge over the competitors which could indeed lead to massive sales…
-Of course, there are those competitors who know this too, so sometimes when it comes down to it both end up having an equal share of the market because they cancel each other out.
Taking this principle further, in the case of sports coaches and athletes, both know that sometimes the difference between a runner-up and a champion can be very small, especially when going further up the competitive levels.
This is why they may spend hours and hours focussing on perfecting those vulnerable areas in the athlete’s performance… A number of aspects; physical fitness, mental agility, psychological well-being… are carefully looked into for achieving maximum performance. Indeed, every little bit counts. It can get quite scientifically exacting in the high competitiveness. Commitment is key.
Then there are those students who have to put in that little bit extra as preparation for their finals that will give them the exam grade their looking for… A major factor that hasn’t had the attention it so deserves is the subject of learning how to learn.
While much of the education system focuses on curriculum what about an emphasis on the technique of studying. Approaching a subject with the most flexible, efficient and effective way of learning can mean the difference between pass with distinction or fail.
Further, it can enhance your creative abilities, communication skills, makes the subject easier to understand, improve your presentation skills, better consolidated learning, learn through association, deepen understanding, better problem solving, strengthen teamwork, decision making…
For example, mind maps, originated from educator, Tony Buzan, has shown to be highly effective. Check out this evidence-based research as proof 13 Science-backed Benefits of Mind Mapping.
Another useful approach to effective study is to make sure that you haven’t gone past words that are not understood. For instance a whole paragraph can be misunderstood simple because one single world hadn’t been properly defined…
Or how about entertainers, musicians and other performers who meticulously go through every detail in their act to enhance performance..?
Whether it’s music, or a different work of art, or a fashion item… when a lot of tender loving care (TLC) had been put into something when it was created, we the recipients can detect this. We can pick up those TLC energies in the conscious morphogenetic field. Put simply, the good vibes from that object are enjoyably picked up.
When you are trying to achieve something life may present itself as such that no matter how hard you try all your efforts lead to you getting nowhere. As if everything you try for gets “neutralized” as you’re led down that dead end street…
Well, so it may seem. However, with a never give up attitude, just keep on keeping on, eventually your perseverance and patience can finally pay off.
-Another case of finding the edge to succeed.
At all times, learning to discern is key. Be in the here and now to make those crucial discernments.
What is it you intend to achieve?
What is it that’s missing? -That vital little piece of jig-saw which, if found, could bring everything together and bring things to completion and accomplishment.
As you can see, taking control, having the empowering edge, can make the difference between 1 and a million!