Yesterday I spoke with a woman who has been building a project for some years now and expressed her frusteration about a million-dollar company stealing her ideas.
I could relate to her and thought how it's such a nasty game out there: How the sharks eat the small fish, and how I've been both the shark and the small fish...
As a small fish you're in a large pool full of other small fish like you and you have to struggle and work your ass off to stand out and be unique - even if this means destroying the small fish around you and eating them up so you can grow into a shark where you'll be like the elite and get these fabulous oppurtunities.
Yet - as the shark you are constantly on edge about losing. Constantly stressed because you have to keep up appearances and work to maintain your position. You have to constantly study the competition around you, find their weaknesses and take what you can from them and build something better on your own.
The worst of you comes out when you desire to be at the top (and I know this from personal experience - living and experiencing MY worst in business). When you're on "the top" - you can't sit around and glorify in it all - you have to keep up and protect your throne from being threatened by the younger, intelligent and creative competition (a.k.a. the smaller fish). They will do whatever they can to take you down so they can be at the top of the food chain.
I'm in the process of working on my relationship with business and competition, because like I said - I've been on both sides of the spectrum and they're not pretty, and no side is good.
So I'm currently exploring the question: Is it possible to drive your business to success without losing your dignity? What are healthy practices to apply in business that doesn't destroy you as a person? How can you protect your work and content from being stolen? Is that even possible, or is it a simple matter of acceptance and moving on?
Awesome blog @michelleterese!
So accurate lol, unfortunately. And you bring up great questions, whether one can be a success in business without losing dignity. I think it's not entirely possible in the current climate. I think one has to 'play the game' here and there, if not, often, to move up.
But if one can bring a degree of dignity/humanity to the table every now and then/mixed in with that game-playing, then that's awesome. Showing that it is possible, which I'm sure it is, and being an example of course, to others.
And the last question, I'd say it's more to accept and move on with the protection of work/content being stolen. Thing is, then to challenge one can require a third party, legal proceedings etc, which can cost a fortune, then the risk of that not having the desired outcome and losing money instead. It is games upon games lol. Quite amusing, really, ha!
Anthony, thanks so much for reading my post, and sharing your thorough response!
As for work/content being stolen - it seems like the moment it's up on the internet it's available for anyone to use, even if they liked a sentence of mine and use it in their daily life, is that stealing? lol so much to look at :)
Lol, yes, lots to look at!
If they liked a sentence of yours and use it in their daily life, like, them using it to assist themselves? That's cool, isn't it? Lol. And then they could spread the message to people they know, either verbally, by blog etc..
Well, if I knew/saw someone posting a sentence I wrote/blog I wrote or some of it, and it was being shared/used for purposes to assist themselves and others, then I'd be cool and happy with that!
Although if it came to money and stealing one's idea/words and they make a profit and you don't..that's not so cool for sure haha. Although, still there is light at the end of the tunnel I think, because at least that message is still cool. Guess it depends on the starting point of sharing that message or 'stealing' that message lol. All in all, if it makes waves and in the end is promoting change for the best, then, I'm okay with this!