Competing is overrated find niches is key, Thiel

Here’s the advice billionaire investor Peter Thiel wishes he could’ve given his younger self


Drake Baer / Business Insider / February 4, 2015 4:20 PM


Peter Thiel is a billionaire, a rock star investor, and a best-selling author.

But the PayPal cofounder still wishes he could have done some things differently.

He said as much in a new column for conservative student magazine the Intercollegiate Review:

My advice for you — the advice I wish I could have given my younger self — is this: Before getting swept up in the competitions that define so much of life, ask yourself whether you even want the prize on offer.

The bone that Thiel is picking here is competition.

For him, it’s a sacred cow that needs to be killed off.

“In economics, Americans mythologize competition, crediting it with saving us from socialist bread lines,” he writes. “But if you’re an entrepreneur who wants to create and capture lasting value, you don’t want to compete with a bunch of interchangeable businesses. You want to build a monopoly.”

In his book " Zero to One ," Thiel says that t he most effective companies — like Google, dominant in search for over a decade — don’t have to deal with any competition, thus allowing them to take care of their employees and make great products, or so Thiel says.

The same goes for individuals trying to navigate their careers, he says. That’s something he wished he knew earlier, when he was first out of school.

As you might imagine, Thiel was a pretty competitive student.

He got into Stanford University for undergrad, and then attended Stanford Law. Then he landed a gig at a prestigious Manhattan law firm, a place that, in his words, “from the outside everyone wanted to get into” but “on the inside … everybody wanted to leave.”

Working in law helped Thiel to see that living a life where you’re just trying to out-compete everybody was a trap.

So he writes:

When I left — after seven months and three days — one of the lawyers down the hall from me said, “You know, I had no idea it was possible to escape from Alcatraz.” Of course that was not literally true, since all you had to do was go out the front door and not come back. But psychologically this was not what people were capable of, because when their identity was defined by competing so intensely with other people, they could not imagine leaving.

It made him realize what’s toxic about using competition as your guide in the world:

This is, I think, the big problem with competition: it focuses us on the people around us, and while we get better at the things we’re competing on, we lose sight of anything that’s important, or transcendent, or truly meaningful in our world.

In other words, living in a competition-driven world will likely make you a copy of your highly competitive peers. For that reason, he doesn’t hire MBAs.


http://finance.yahoo.com/news/heres-advice-billionaire-investor-peter-212010431.html


This is where the mobilis in mobili concept comes in - being situtuated on a floating platform a business can navigate around the globe and position itself in a loca niche market. THINKG GLOBAL ACT LOCAL.


SabMiller floating brewery following resources and markets around the globe.









Wilfried Ellmer / yook3 / latinindustry / imulead / tolimared / mantillaexport / ibaguevende / concretesubmarine / cartagenavende / bogotavende / marcelamancilla / / @nautilusmaker /


Wilfried Ellmer

European expat manager, Colombia, business development key player network, German, manager network, marine, industry, portal network.

http://yook3.com

Get a foothold in ocean colonization:

http://concretesubmarine.activeboard.com/t49529137/oceanic-frontier-develpment-investment-foothold-in-ocean-col/

The Captain Nemo Lifestyle:

http://concretesubmarine.activeboard.com/t43942461/the-captain-nemo-float-out-seasteading/

Why oceanic business is the next big thing to come:

http://concretesubmarine.activeboard.com/t56680633/the-reasons-why-oceanic-business-is-the-next-big-thing-to-co/

Ocean sphere fish farming:

http://concretesubmarine.activeboard.com/t55433095/ocean-sphere-the-next-wave-of-sustainable-fish-farming/

Ocean colonization gallery:

http://imulead.com/tolimared/concretesubmarine/picturegallery/concept/

Big things have small beginnings ocean colonization transition, potential:

http://concretesubmarine.activeboard.com/t58002383/big-things-have-small-beginnings-transition-capability-key-f/

Sustainability on Planet Earth only the oceans can safe us:

http://concretesubmarine.activeboard.com/t58921987/sustainability-population-growth-consumption-growth-ocean-co/

Free spirited oceanic lifestyle global mobility:

http://concretesubmarine.activeboard.com/t58935854/subdue-to-nobody/


The big five business fields of ocean colonization: | oceanic transport | oceanic energy | oceanic real estate | deep sea mining | oceanic aquaculture |

The four fundamental quests of ocean colonization : | The quest for interference freedom | The quest for mobility | The quest for oceanic resources | The quest for space on the planet |

Meta Topics:



Axes of ocean colonization: | Main Axes | Plate Seastead | Floating Real Estate | Catamaran concept | Captain Nemo Concept | Floating Breakwater Concept | Submerged Living Space Bubble Concept |
Concepts: / Lens shell pictures overview / / Ramform floating home pictures / / c-shell floating home pictures / / Floating concrete building methods / / shell cluster pictures |

Investor Proposals: | Investor Proposal List |

Wilfried-Ellmer-Consulting-Group™ | blue ocean quest • concrete submarine | ocean colonization-ICO-token | oceanic-key-player-network™ | marine engineering | oceanic business alliance™ | Paradigm Shift • Frontier Development • LATAM • Marine • disruptive investment | Austria • Latin America • Manager | wilfried+ellmer+group • oceanic+business+alliance • advanced+composite+floating+structures | ICO • Inital Coin Offering • NemoToken™ • Strategic-Ocean-Invest | incoming•agentur•kolumbien•business•travel | Colombia • Medical Equipment • Germany • Export • Market Entry • Special-Agency • Expat-Network | Wilfried_Ellmer_Management_Group™ | oceanic trade routes | Business-Colombia-Germany • yook3 | international business strategy • Europe • LATAM | Marktzugang • Lateinamerika | Colombia•Invest•CIVETS•Market•Entry•Agency | Lateinamerika Markteintritt über ein bestehendes Netzwerk | #latinamericagrowth | Latin America • web campaign • strategy • design • implementation • Wilfried-Ellmer-Consulting-Group™ | Ellmer-Industries™ | #CaribbeanBusiness | Senior Operator Partnerships Manager LATAM | Filiale aufmachen | Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ • connecting people to opportunities | advanced cement composite • ocean colonies • oceanic business alliance | tubular shell • sphere shell • bubble cluster shell • ocean colonization | blue • frontier • oceanic • business • alliance • project • technology • cluster | advanced reinforced cement concrete • marine business | Elektro-Maschinen • Markteintritt-Südamerika • yook3™ | get the benefit of our vast network of providers, to your project | floating clubbing platform • advanced light cement composite shell | oceankeyplayer™ | floating bubble cluster city | yook3™ | ocean colonization technology | strategic stakes • solid partnerships | business-catalyst | ocean frontiers • oceanic business alliance • key player network • blue frontier | private concrete submarines | finding key players | EU increases investment and business cooperation with Latin America | emerging markets • emerging economies • emerging networks | Termite-Tech™ • matrix printing • dot printing architecture | New-VENICE™ | caribbean-marine-cluster-cartagena | shell building | Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ bio, med, pharma, research | oceanic freedom | floating research center | interkulturelle-kommunikation-deutsche-firmen-export | Germany-Colombia-Consulting-Group™ | VIP Tourism MICE | Mittelstand • Germany-Colombia • Exportieren | Wilfried Ellmer • Österreicher • Expat • Manager • Entrepeneur | mykonos | Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ • strategic market entry • LATAM market • Germany | colombia negocios internacionales | technology-key-player-network | international business development • LATAM • Europe | floating concrete building methods | been there, done that | marketing • business • market research • mapping • positioning • strategic | full-scope-project-development-services | Kolumbien_Management_Beratung • Agentur • Coaching • Mentoring | Marketing • Lateinamerika • Agentur • Mittelstand • Vertriebsnetzwerk • strategische Verbindung | GaleriaC • advanced cement composite • freeforming • sculpture • architecture | bubble cluster structure • marine construction • cement composite | market-enabler | business international consultant • colombia • germany • export • market-entry | Business-Services-LATAM-Germany • Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ | Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ • Internet-Corporate-Image-Handling | opening humanity’s next frontier | going galt yacht | Ellmer-Marine™ | Markteintritt • Mittelbetriebe • Lateinamerika | Wilfried_Ellmer_Strategy_Consultants_Latin_America_Europe_Business | German-Latin-Business-Club™ | business frontier development | Wilfried Ellmer key player network marine futurist | Community for Businesses in Latin America | getting in on a hot IPO • Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ • LATAM • oceanic • invest | Your Partner for Growth in Latin-America | global opportunities • Latin-America • Europe | Kolumbien • Management • Agentur • Südamerika • Netzwerk | #EllmerMancilla • Lateinamerika • Netzwerk | frontier opening | tolimared™ | medical technology • transition management • interference freedom • fasttrack development | Business Launch • Plan • Implementation • Latin-America | Marcela Mancilla • oceanic-events • ibiza-clubbing • floating-platform | Wilfried Ellmer CNC Machine Export Mittelstand | #GermanColombiaBusiness | Mittelständler • Kolumbien • Lateinamerika • Markt erobern • leicht gemacht | #GaleriaC | Globalisierung • Mittelstand • Germany • Austria • Lateinamerika • Colombia • Kolumbien • Spezial-Agentur | concrete submarine yacht • luxury • business • wilfried ellmer • concretesubmarine | Lateinamerika Konferenz • Markteintritt • keynote • Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ | joint venture | Colombia-Germany • Business Agency | ocean colonization technology • light shell building • dot printing • nautilusmaker | submarine yacht | Kolumbien-Logistik-Netzwerk | ellmer group • colombia market entry agency | #CaptainNemoBusiness | Latin-American-German • Business-Catalyst-Network • Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ | Salzburg • Austria • Geschäftsaufbau Lateinamerika • Business Club | market-entry-strategy-design | build concrete submarine | oceanic real estate paradigm shift • ocean colonization | Wilfried Ellmer • Mittelstand • Industrie • Berater • Europa • Lateinamerika | visionary • speaker • frontier development • disruptive investment | latin america-business-alliance-group | use the existing network • grow-faster | marine engineering | #ColombiaCartagena | agentur marketing | Spanien | Lateinamerika | B2B | leadership | network | Ellmer • Caribbean • floating • Homes • 98K • Shell | transition management | LATAM • branding • strategy • launch • cooperation • Agency • promote | cero trouble ship repair | Latin America incoming manager German Mittelstand | Mittelständischer Maschinenbau • LATAM Export • Spezial-Agentur • Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ | what you should know about me • yook3™ | Expandieren nach Lateinamerika • Katalysator • Agentur • Brückenschlag • Mentor | floating stem cell institute • global research • interference freedom | colombia_business_fact_finding_mission_travel_special_agency | Floating Home Caribbean • USD 98 K Budget • Wilfried Ellmer Group™ | connect americas • business club | ocean colonization key technology | no monkey business • ship repair • compliance driven | #ColombiaDigitalMarketing | LATAM Market Entry • Consulting • Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ | oceanic+construction+technology+New Atlantis™+New-VENICE™+yook3™ | Latin•Industry•Network™ | Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ • frontier markets • Colombia • Wien • Salzburg • Mittelstand | oceanic•key•player•alliance™ | colombia-german-tourism-expat-network | big data • big ocean • oceanic business alliance™ • next big thing | germany-latin-america-key-player-network | wilfried ellmer group • marine concrete engineering | Geschäftsanbahnung • Kolumbien • Lateinamerika | colombia business network | Kolumbien-Deutscher-Aussenhandel | evolutionary development • frontier markets | online marketing colombia | marine living space | #Submarine_Yacht_Alliance | #Captain_Nemo_Yacht | floating honeycomb shell architecture | Leadership • LATAM • summit • market entry • key player network - business development | Live Aboard Catamaran • Floating Home • USD98K • Caribbean • oceanic business alliance™ | nautilusmaker®_sphere_habitat | Ellmer Group Marine | get connected • Latin America • network • portal • agency | Wilfried Ellmer-LATAM-Consulting-Group™ | concrete-sea-structures | P.K.Mehta | spearheading cement composite technology • oceanic business alliance™ | Hispanic• Markets• strategic • consulting • marketing • solutions | mobilis in mobili • oceanic business alliance | Salzburg • Lateinamerika • Agentur • Geschäftsplattform • Markteintritt | Wilfried-Ellmer-Strategy-Consultants™ • Latin America • Germany • been there, done that | business channels • distribution • get connected • Colombia-Germany | #ConcreteSubmarineYacht | #economylatinamerica | oceanic-business-alliance™ | #ColombiaEmergingMarket | Luxury Yacht Submarine • Advanced Composite • Hull • VIP | Wien • Kolumbien • Beratung • Agentur • Markteintritt • Projekt • Consulting | seasteading is not about politics • investment • disruptive technology | social and influencer marketing | Marcela-Mancilla™ • design • event • advisor • consultant • speaker | #Santa-Marta-Colombia-Tourism | nautilusmaker® industries | your channel to Latin America market entry | Deutsch • Lateinamerika • Geschäfte | Geschäftsaufbau | Veranstaltungen | Informationen |


Coaching | Training | Latin America business opening | get connected | get started |



German Business Networking | Market Entry Agency | Latin America | Key Player Network | yook3™ |


| Get a Boardroom Here | what you should know about me | Business Coordinates | get started | get connected | yook3™


Strategic Ocean Token • Nemo Token • New-Atlantis™ • Get Invested


LATAM-Europe • Business Network • Wilfried-Ellmer-Group™ • Get Connected


Floating Future of Mankind • Key Conversation • Solving the Bottleneck