Escaping Competition Through Contrarianism
Good morning, founder.
This week, I've been obsessed with Peter Thiel's counterintuitive view on competition. The key lesson? Competition is for losers.
The Competition Trap
Think about it: since childhood, we've been conditioned to compete. In school, in the workplace, even in our hobbies. These are all zero-sum games where one wins, and another loses. But in business and creativity, this mindset can be a trap.
Peter Thiel's lesson is to rewire how we align our views and ideas with the masses. You won't get rich by creating the next Facebook. Instead, you need to find a contrarian view or insight that you can use to create your own monopoly.
"All happy companies are different: each one earns a monopoly by solving a unique problem. All failed companies are the same: they failed to escape competition." - Peter Thiel
The Monopoly Mindset
Competition is not a virtue in business. The best businesses are those who create a monopoly, then keep quiet about it. Think Google, Facebook, Stripe. They didn't set out to compete; they set out to create something entirely new.
There's never been more opportunity to be a competitor than now. If you want to compete, you've got the best chance in history with the internet. But remember, if you want to be a loser, go copy. You're not a loser.
Contrarian Thinking in Action
From reading Thiel, I've realized his insights appear all around me:
Tech Companies: Built on taking a simple idea seriously, often in a contrarian way. They break the old habituated status quo of the problem.
Architecture: The best libraries are constructed with contrarian architecture.
Creators: Mr. Beast creates contrarian videos. Founders Podcast is contrarian by the idea of David (the host) reading a full biography every week and creating a distilled episode.
"The most contrarian thing of all is not to oppose the crowd but to think for yourself." - Peter Thiel
The Creator's Monopoly
My iteration of this insight is how it applies powerfully to creators:
The best creators have a contrarian obsession with one idea and create a monopoly with their insight and relentless creation of the idea.
You might be tempted to download a "playbook" and learn the best "trends" in the content world. But I believe this is the road to mediocrity. Instead, be constantly on the lookout for a contrarian idea that feels normal to you.
Finding Your Contrarian Path
Peter Thiel often asks:
"What's one idea that seems obvious to you but contrarian to others—what's your core contrarian belief?"
I believe following this contrarian view of the world will give us a lot more in return for our time than following the masses. It's about creating value in a unique way, not just competing for a slice of an existing pie.
The Last Mover Advantage
Thiel talks about the "last mover advantage" - being the final company to dominate a particular category. This applies to creators too. Don't rush to be first in a trend. Instead, focus on building something so good, so unique, that you become the definitive voice in your niche.
Start Small, Then Monopolize
For founders and creators alike, the path to success often starts small:
Dominate a small, specific niche
Gradually expand into related areas
Aim to be the "last mover" - the final, definitive voice in your category
Conclusion
Go find your own path. This is what life is all about. In a world obsessed with competition, be the one who creates something so unique, so valuable, that competition becomes irrelevant.
Remember, the goal isn't to beat the competition. The goal is to make the competition irrelevant by creating superior value in a unique way.
What's your contrarian idea? What monopoly can you create in your niche? These are the questions that can lead you to true success and fulfillment in your creative and entrepreneurial journey.
Now, go create something remarkable.
I hope you've found this post helpful.
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