By: Douglas J Utberg

One of the ideas that is very familiar in our current world is the notion of a competition.  Many times, this is most prominently demonstrated in sporting events such as the Super Bowl or the Olympics.  In these types of competitive situations, there is a small number of ‘winners’ and many ‘losers.’  In this environment of a ‘zero sum game’ there is only one championship and there can only be one winner.

Unfortunately, many people equate the ‘zero sum’ competition of sports to the realm of economics and opportunity as well.  Politicians frequently refer to the ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ of life or the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ in an attempt to embed the notion that one person’s success must necessarily come at the expense of somebody else.  There is most certainly some competition for customers and markets within the economy, but there is a much more powerful creative phenomenon that many people do not fully understand.

The world of voluntary transactions is vastly different from the world of athletic competition due to one key characteristic.  When transactions are voluntary for both sides, the only way that business takes place is if both people are made better off.  The reason that this conclusion can be made is because people who are not made better off by a particular deal have the option to walk away.

This simple principal holds the ultimate key for creating a life of success.  When you provide something for somebody else that has a value in excess of what they pay for that product or service then you have made their life better.  When they pay you for that product or service, it creates profits that make you better off.  (Note that if either of these cases are not true, either side can simply choose to walk away and seek business elsewhere)

Another highly important aspect of this principal is the notion that you do not need to take anything away from anybody else to become successful.  You only need to provide a product or service to your customers that is sufficiently valuable that they voluntarily part with their money in exchange for what you provide.  Instead of thinking in terms of competing for job opportunities, think in terms of providing a value to your employer that vastly exceeds your compensation.  Instead of thinking in terms of timing investment markets to ‘cash out’ at the opportune time, think in terms of investing in ventures that provide a valuable service to everybody with whom they do business.

The competitive mind is one that thinks in terms of how resources are distributed.  The creative mind is one that thinks in terms of how resources can be increased.  The competitive mind is jealous of what other people achieve.  The creative mind is inspired by what other people achieve.  The competitive mind thinks of ways they can get more.  The creative mind thinks of ways to make more.

Each of us has both the opportunity and responsibility to create our success.  In order to do so, we must develop the maturity to see through the limitations luck and coercive entitlement that grant rewards to some and deny them to others, but do nothing to generate value.  In the end, the only question that remains for each of us to answer is what we are doing today to create success.