“Get out of the pack and go around the competition.”
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I once watched an Olympic event, short-track ice skating. One particular skater was the favorite. According to the TV announcers, none of the other five skaters in the race even wanted to win. Their individual ranks would rise substantially, as long as she lost to all of them. So, their unified goal, even if it meant losing themselves, was to make sure she came in dead-last.
The race started. All the skaters clumped together, surrounding the favorite. It looked like Roller Derby. They elbowed, and pushed, and shoved, reaching out, some using arms as levers, others locking arms together barrier-like; and gradually maneuvered her to the rear of the pack.
The best route a skater can take in such a race is the inside lane, because it’s the shortest, therefore the fastest. To make their plan work, the gang concentrated all attention on the inner half of the course. They stayed that way, constantly checking over their collective shoulders to make sure she would never wedge inside or move up. It worked so well, she appeared to give up. There was a moment when she simply stopped skating, stood up, and coasted, allowing the pack to leave her behind.
Then her real motive became obvious. With a sudden explosion of energy she lunged forward, skates digging into ice so hard and fast, she left a snowy contrail in her wake. Her path traced all the way to the outside lane, where she stayed, her legs pumping like pistons, until the end of the race. Meanwhile the pack was still checking, looking over their left shoulders, intent on gloating at her containment. But, she wasn’t there. One by one they realized she was no longer on the inside rear. She wasn’t inside. She wasn’t behind. She wasn’t anywhere.
The gang’s bewilderment turned to panic; and well it should have. While the conspirators checked inside and behind, she power-skated like a rocket in the outside lane and far ahead to win the race.
LESSON: Get out of the pack. Work the hardest. Go Around. Win. -AB
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