Unfair Advantage

30th May 2020

It was the annual fete at Belstone. The much-awaited dog race is the most anticipated event of the day. There were five liver and white Springer Spaniels tugging at their leads, seven tricoloured Jack Russell Terriers yelping with their high pitched barks and two beautiful spotty Dalmatians present for the race. In addition, there were about 25 other dogs of all shapes and sizes, including Shih Tzus, Pugs and a lanky Boston Terrier, rearing to go at the start line. The air smelt of popcorn and hog roast. The lure was prepared with an experienced organiser walking past all the dogs allowing them to sniff it, only to increase the madness and mayhem of the already excited hounds. The finish line is about 80 metres away across the green luscious grass. With the lure prepared, the stage was set. The referee blew the fog horn and the hounds were released.

At the 10 metre post, all dogs were more or less equal. At the 30 metre post, the toy dog breeds were left behind and a Dalmatian was leading with four Springers hot on her heels. This close race continued until the 50-metre post when out of the blue, a red flash zoomed past all the leading dogs and reached the finish line before any dog had passed the 60-metre post. This red flash was a two-year-old Saluki. He is considered the world’s second-fastest dog (after the Greyhound). His long legs, aerodynamic body shape and supple spine are his unfair advantages. There was just no way the rest of the dogs could compete with him in this instance. He owned the game.

What is your unfair advantage? Are you maximising your unfair advantage to help you in life? Are you using it in your daily undertakings including your studies, work, relationships and in yourself? One thing we all have in common is that we are unique. There is no one exactly the same as you. Your DNA, environment, experiences, mind and soul are exclusive, completely different from others. You possess at least one unfair advantage over others. Some have compassionate souls, some have photographic memories, some are exceedingly detailed in their dealings and some may have a flair for languages. Have you discovered yours? If you have, are you making the most of it to help you succeed in life?

Remember that you are a product of centuries of chance and evolution. Your ancestors were one of the few that survived the wars, natural disasters and calamity. A unique sperm, out of the billions and billions, met an egg, out of so many eggs and cycles, to form a fertilised embryo, which, against all odds, developed into a foetus that resulted in you. Do you see what a miracle you are? In this complexity of chances and events, a unique you is formed. Are you still in any doubt that you are as special as you can be and there is no one else like you in the world? By extension, somewhere, somehow, you must possess at least one unique unfair advantage over everyone else on this planet. Have you discovered yours? Are you cultivating it to allow you to rock your world and lift everyone up around you by doing so?

Micheal Phelps is double-jointed (allowing a greater range of movement), has a larger lung capacity (12 litres compared to the usual six litres), born with a longer torso than ‘legs’ (making it ideal for swimming) and possesses size 14 feet (like flippers!). These are his unfair advantages over any other swimmer even before skills, drive and techniques are implemented! Micheal Jordan’s unfair advantage is his drive to succeed at all costs. He wasn’t the tallest basketball player and not necessarily the fastest, however, no one else had as much drive as he did and he was described as playing at a ‘different’ level. If he was competing at a different level, there is no competition.

So, know that you are special and possess at least one (or more) unfair advantage. Make sure you discover and cultivate it to allow it to smash your world with brilliance and success. You are BEAUTIFUL and YOU KNOW IT!

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