Face Your Goliath
Never be afraid to change the battlefield
To most of us who have heard the story of David & Goliath all of our lives, David had zero chance walking into that battle and defeating the giant. Malcolm Gladwell challenges us to look at the historical event much differently.
“Goliath had as much chance against David as any Bronze Age warrior with a sword would have had against an opponent armed with a .45 automatic pistol.”
In other words, the small shepherd boy had all the advantage in the world. The traits viewed as weaknesses — size, inexperience in hand-to-hand combat, and lack of armor — were in fact advantages to David because he had learned a different approach to battle. Goliath’s strengths — size, power, & hand-to-hand combat — ended up being his downfall. David fought him in a different manner than Goliath imagined and soundly defeated him.
That simple concept is what Malcolm Gladwell beautifully illustrates over and over throughout his newest book, David & Goliath. The circumstances that most of us view as distinct advantages may end up being large disadvantages in battle. This idea hits incredibly close to home as someone who is facing enormous giants in an industry packed with competition. I feel as though every time I turn around a new player steps into the arena of apparel. Some show up loaded with large budgets and teams, dwarfing ours. Others are established brands postered on every street corner. Everywhere I turn, giants are entering the room. And here I am with what feels like just a slingshot at times.
I know some close friends can relate in their own entrepreneurial pursuits. The size, budgets, and connections of certain competitors seem daunting at times. Their product or brand doesn’t fit the “status quo,” leaving most to consider that a disadvantage. They are looking to find any possible way through the waves of Goliaths standing before them. It feels as though you need more than a slingshot.
Truth is, you don’t.
For as big, powerful, and deadly Goliath was up-close, he was far from invincible as a shepherd boy armed with nothing more than a slingshot proved. There are distinct advantages to being a smaller company, bootstrapping, and learning many lessons the hard way. The experiences mold you, prepare you, and ultimately if harnessed, create a better entrepreneur. The shoestring budgets teach you to be conservative and what is a good marketing spend and what isn’t. You pave the hard road, piece by piece, to success. You become a better business person and a stronger spirit. You become one that is more dangerous an adversary than Goliath expects.
If you choose to play the game Goliath’s way, you will most assuredly lose. But if you choose a different path? If you choose to reinvent the game, and instead forge a new path using your experiences & skill set? Now that creates something special. That’s nailing a giant in between the eyes from over a hundred yards with just a small pebble.
Never let an opponent’s size intimidate you from competing. Just let that be your motivation to flip the script and create a new battleground.
Compete.
