Est read time ~ 88 secs.

Two rural South African men are walking though a field when they spot a lion.

Seconds before, they were having a hearty chat, walking barefooted and enjoying the scenery. The bad news, the lion has also spotted them and looks to be in a snacking mood.

They both know what’s coming next and without speaking to each other decide to not make sudden movements. One of them slowly reaches into his sling, pulls out running shoes and slips them on.

Confused, his friend whispers “Do you think you can outrun a lion?”

“No”, he replied. I just have to be faster than you. Then bolts away.

This isn’t a true story. It’s from a creative ad by the running shoe company Asics that stuck with me.

Founders are advised to build companies that are 10x better, faster, cheaper. I believe this. However, this idea becomes confusing as I start paying attention to my personal purchase preferences.

In reality, the brands I choose are slightly better than the competition. A slightly shorter wait time, a thank you card, better packaging, earlier opening times or even stocking the color I really like.

After observing this for a while, it seems that just being slightly better than what’s already out there is actually good enough to build a big business.

There's a caveat.

The difference between first and last place in an Olympic sprint is a few seconds. Put those two sprinters on a watt bike and I'm sure there will be a 10x difference in their power outputs.

There is a possibility that building a business that seems slightly better to your customers, requires you to be working at 10x.

Like compound interest, being 10x better requires you to be slightly better every day.

Focusing your efforts on being 10x is a not practical advice.

Just be slightly better everyday .

Adrian,

P.S How do you get slightly better everyday? I'd love to hear how you approach this.

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Can't wait to hear from you.