It has been an epic battle. The birds vs. me, vying for the strawberries in my in the backyard. And for a while, the birds were winning. Literally eating every single nearly ripe berry before I could pick them. Round one involved placing chicken wire over the patch, secured by stakes. The birds still got under the chicken wire, even if they were slightly too big to fit. So far, I’m winning round two which involves bird netting secured by short stakes. I think they might still be getting a few around the edges.
At every turn, the birds have found a path to what they want. They are clever. And they are singular in their mission to get the strawberries. They are the competition.
And they are very much like competitors in the business world. When competitors are clever and focused, they will push you to up your game to stay competitive. They will force you to work for it. And they will constantly keep you on your toes. That’s why it is important to have good competitors. You’ll have better products and service your customers better.