Are You Afraid of Being the Small Fish in the Pond?

Just because you’re not the biggest fish in the pond doesn’t mean you have to leave the pond.

Trust me; there are always bigger fish, smarter people, more established experts, better dancers, savvier marketers out there. It doesn’t matter. They’re not your market. They’re not your enemies either. You only have to worry about them if they come after you, and if you’re the small fish in the big pond they probably won’t even notice you.

If they do, remember this: you are younger, more agile, less tied down to history and expectations. You can get into those tiny niches that they could never go. Being the small fish in the big pond is better than the big fish in the small pond. Your potential is vast whereas the big fish has already outgrown the pond.

So don’t feel pressured to hold off your ideas cause it may have been done better or by someone more established because they way you do it, because it is YOU doing it that makes it unique.

My point is this:

don’t let your fear of not being the best hold you back from giving it your best.

Flickr photo courtesy of EssG.

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Posted on 07 July 2009 by Carl

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Categorized | Artist, Feature

Tags | are you afraid, big fish small pond, big pond, bigger fish, experts, small fish, small fish big pond, tiny niche

Amit

Great Post. Every big fish in the pond had to be a small fish at one point or another.

alex - unleash reality

hey Carl!!

first off. really like your site. awwwsome design, unique feel and solid, quirky content. we should be friends :)

"Just because you’re not the biggest fish in the pond doesn’t mean you have to leave the pond."
- that really got me thinking... you know, about the small fish big pond maxim. i don't think that you ever leave the pond. your perspective on the pond changes. that's it.

...and def always bigger fish, smarter people and more established... but i kinda like that. i like the competition. the drive. the "ghetto hood mentality". the "i will make this happen no matter what" attitude that comes from competition and NOT being the best. yet.

i say funk the pond. grow legs and laugh from the pond's edge at the big fish struggling to get bigger =)

haha :D

keep well man and in touch
alex - unleash reality

CathD

Something else powerful about being the small fish in the big pond is that you'll be learning much faster than the people who are the big fishes in the small pond. As a solopreneur, I've surrounded myself with people who are smarter than me, so I'm stimulated to keep on a steep learning curve. As soon as you settle into a spot where you're the smartest in the room, you'll start stagnating.

Great post, Carl!

CarlNelson

I agree Cath. Putting yourself amongst peers who can constantly challenge you is one of the best ways to grow and improve. It's something I love doing.

Great point.

hustler

Are you reading my mind? How many times I've let the big fish intimidate me when really they don't even care what I'm doing. You are so right.

Peta Love

Yeah, we like niche. Niche is nice.

ChristiaanH

I can only echo the comments above. What a great blogpost!

Not getting noticed by the big fish means you can swim around and do whatever you want in there.

SeanLance

Great short post to get our minds going!

It is important to be the best fish that you can be, no matter whether it is big or small. Many times we are concerned with the surface appearances and neglect the core.

Jonathan Mead

Reminds me of Coldplay's song Lost:

"You might be a big fish
In a little pond
Doesn't mean you've won
'Cause a long may come
A bigger one"

It's funny how we think about competition. But the word compete actually means to "seek together." When we're competing, we're seeking our own personal best performance, together. Not in a comparison, but in fellowship.

Laura Roeder

You know I LOVE this!

"you are younger, more agile, less tied down to history and expectations" that especially got me fired up!

Sudeep

Gr 8 Post my friend !! Really nice one . I am believer that each one us has been given some special skills ,so we can survive and excel in our life time . Even if you are a small fish in the big pond , if we know our skills we will survive and excel.

Colin Wright

Elegant and effective in its brevity.

This is the exact reason I knew I had to get out of the Midwest as soon as possible after college, moving to LA and trying my hand at a much larger playing field. Now that I've done well here, it's time to take on the rest of the world and see what kind of challenges it can present!