This was great, Ben - I particularly enjoyed the "Iron sharpens Iron" part - which is new to me... It's such a pragmatic and objective way to consider how adversarial relationships can actually be fundamental drivers to success. The tricky thing is making sure that relationship doesn't toxify the work! Thank you also for sharing my profile!
Hey @Zan Tafakari thank you for taking the time to read and comment, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Absolutely agree, as long as the competition doesn’t result in inhibiting the growth of the activity or the competitors involved, it will help raise the bar for everybody trying to be great.
Great article! Surrounding ourselves with high caliber people not only raises our own standards but also inspires us to reach new heights. It's fascinating how seeing others succeed can break down our mental barriers and push us to explore our full potential.
Interesting examples. I think the creator economy is a good example, too. If you see a newsletter with 1M subs, but you don't know the author, you have no idea what they did to get there, and if you can replicate it.
But if one of your colleagues or friends starts one, or you get to know other authors, you get a much better idea of what's possible, and their success motivates you to try harder.
What is cool is with the internet, your peers can expand to people you know IRL. So even people that I've met on Substack who started around the same time as me with similar circumstances, also show me what is possible with dedication.
Also the better people do on Substack, the more people they bring to the platform, making it easier for others to succeed etc.
Interesting take. I certainly agree that the people around you matter. And certainly a competitive approach is essential for success in sports and adversaries help in that realm. But overall, is not life better lived as a cooperative adventure?
When I was at the top of my field of science, in which I wrote the first textbook, I always enjoyed interacting with those few other people who really understood it. And I never was motivated to worry about who was first. The awards followed. They were nice but never felt validating. Looking back, I'm quite content with that career.
Maybe it depends on the game you are trying to play. Sounds like you knew what game you wanted to play and did it well.
What I believe Ben is saying is that to accomplish things at the highest level, that someone else nudging you along really helps. Competition often spurs that more effectively than cooperation.
If your goal is to try to reach the global maximum (or surpass it) in a field with low randomness, the presence of a competitor can give the urge to push harder than you would likely do without the presence of a competitive force.
This was great, Ben - I particularly enjoyed the "Iron sharpens Iron" part - which is new to me... It's such a pragmatic and objective way to consider how adversarial relationships can actually be fundamental drivers to success. The tricky thing is making sure that relationship doesn't toxify the work! Thank you also for sharing my profile!
Hey @Zan Tafakari thank you for taking the time to read and comment, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Absolutely agree, as long as the competition doesn’t result in inhibiting the growth of the activity or the competitors involved, it will help raise the bar for everybody trying to be great.
Great article! Surrounding ourselves with high caliber people not only raises our own standards but also inspires us to reach new heights. It's fascinating how seeing others succeed can break down our mental barriers and push us to explore our full potential.
Thank you @Nick Makris ! I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment!
Interesting examples. I think the creator economy is a good example, too. If you see a newsletter with 1M subs, but you don't know the author, you have no idea what they did to get there, and if you can replicate it.
But if one of your colleagues or friends starts one, or you get to know other authors, you get a much better idea of what's possible, and their success motivates you to try harder.
100%
What is cool is with the internet, your peers can expand to people you know IRL. So even people that I've met on Substack who started around the same time as me with similar circumstances, also show me what is possible with dedication.
Also the better people do on Substack, the more people they bring to the platform, making it easier for others to succeed etc.
Interesting take. I certainly agree that the people around you matter. And certainly a competitive approach is essential for success in sports and adversaries help in that realm. But overall, is not life better lived as a cooperative adventure?
When I was at the top of my field of science, in which I wrote the first textbook, I always enjoyed interacting with those few other people who really understood it. And I never was motivated to worry about who was first. The awards followed. They were nice but never felt validating. Looking back, I'm quite content with that career.
Maybe it depends on the game you are trying to play. Sounds like you knew what game you wanted to play and did it well.
What I believe Ben is saying is that to accomplish things at the highest level, that someone else nudging you along really helps. Competition often spurs that more effectively than cooperation.
If your goal is to try to reach the global maximum (or surpass it) in a field with low randomness, the presence of a competitor can give the urge to push harder than you would likely do without the presence of a competitive force.
Really good content so far, unsubscribed.
I’m pleased it was good enough to convince you to unsubscribe.
With luck maybe you’ll even report me for abuse one day.