Life isn't fair—this is one thing I am absolutely sure about because every stage of life has presented me with this fact. As the saying goes, “You are always going to meet someone in life who's smarter, richer, or better looking.”
We are born with different capacities. This reminds me of a famous quote by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a Russian writer, who did not agree with Soviet ideology who once said, “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
Aiming for radical equality sounds great in theory, but this defeats the purpose of diversity. Imagine a world where nobody is smarter or stronger than anybody else.
This would be a dull world to live in. Creativity demands an openness to characters from all walks of life and to be free is to follow our unique abilities.
Opportunities are never equal. Everyone’s got an unfair disadvantage, and you should accept that as a fact of life.
Make your unfair advantage (natural talent) count. We all have something special in us, so we should use that to our advantage.
You should know what your natural talents are. If you don't, spend time on exploring and discovering them. If you explore far and deep enough, you will stumble upon something that you truly enjoy. There are many ways to get started.
See why people come to you. My wife is good at listening. People find comfort in her.
See what you are naturally drawn to. I recently discovered the joy and talent for art. It took Covid lockdown for me to realize that.
See what comes easy to you which is harder for others. Aiming for effortlessness is far greater than aiming for friction. Success can come from both. I can read or write for hours without feeling like it is hard work.
Life gets a lot easier when you surrender to your natural gifts and talents. This allows you to live the life that you want to live in.
Embracing your unfair advantage is where the magic lies for your success.
Follow the wisdom of Phil Knight which he mentioned in his book Shoe Dog, “If you are following your calling, the fatigue will be easier to bear, disappointments will be fuel, the highs will be like nothing you’ve ever felt.”
Tune down on your weaknesses and lean in on your strengths.