Ajay: Hey, congrats!
Friend: Phew! What a win! This is history. Now, Lionel Messi can heave a great sigh of relief, along with millions of fans of Argentinian football!
Ajay: He certainly can. Argentina lifting the Copa America 2021 trophy this weekend, literally ends what many people called a trophy drought for the ace footballer.
Friend: Yes, persistence pays. Their victory reminds me of the story of Bruce and the Spider. Argentina had to wait for decades to lift a coveted international title. Try they did! And thats great motivation for us entrepreneurs.
Ajay: Yes indeed. But I feel beyond the obvious lessons, Messi and Argentinas win offers an important insight.
Friend: Im all ears
Ajay: Well, this victory was made possible by Brazil, in a way.
Friend: Eh! How?
Ajay: The takeaway here is that your excellence in performance is influenced heavily by how your rival performs. Here, Brazils soccer team has been improving its game, posing formidable challenges to arch-rival Argentina, forcing Messi and his boys to constantly up the ante.
Friend: Interesting!
Ajay: In business, it is great to have a healthy rival who can make you sweat creatively and raise your standards so you can garner the right degree of skills, timing, strategy and resources to beat it and become the champion.
Now, Brazil also benefits; it has to go back to the drawing board and re-strategize. Helps save it from saturation and complacency. On that cue, this is not a win. Its a win-win!