The writer argues that entrepreneurs waste energy when they obsess over competitors instead of improving their own work. The central message is simple: focus on self-assessment, learn from setbacks, and keep evolving.
The piece opens with the idea that people are often told to either work hard or work smart, but not both. The writer rejects that split and says the two should go together. A telephone, for example, is presented as proof of working smart because it replaces a slow messenger system with instant communication.
From there, the article shifts to competition. The writer says many people are distracted by what others in the same field are doing, even though that can blur their own direction. In an interview referenced in the piece, the writer says: “Did you know there is a difference between seeing and paying attention?”
The article also frames the real rival as personal stagnation. “The yesterday me,” the writer says, is the benchmark for progress. That approach, the piece argues, is more useful than chasing what a neighbour or industry peer is doing.
The writer notes that some challenges cut across entire sectors. Musicians, for instance, are affected by piracy and by the Music Copyright Society of Kenya, while other businesses face tax pressures that also affect competitors. The point is that shared problems should be understood before any business tries to outdo another.
After that, the article turns into a self-evaluation guide. Readers are urged to write down what they achieved in the past six months, list failures, and project the next six months. The writer says achievements should be studied so that the actions behind them can be repeated and improved.
Failures are treated as useful rather than embarrassing. The article compares failure to walking in the dark and falling into a pit, then learning to carry a torch or take another route the next time. The writer says failure often comes only when someone tries something new, and that discomfort should not be avoided.
In the closing section, the article says self-employed people must treat deadlines as a discipline issue. Unlike salaried workers, they control their daily schedule, but that freedom also demands self-management. The writer ends by urging entrepreneurs to know their next move, seek new spaces, and keep pushing forward.
The piece also includes a promotional line from the original publication asking readers to subscribe to its SMS service and send story ideas or breaking news by email. That material has been left out of the main narrative because it does not change the substance of the article.
