Stay in your own lane. A lesson from the Crossfit Open.

Picture this.

I’m in the gym.

Nervous.

We’re about to start the first Open workout.

The timer beeps.

Everyone launches into burpees over the dumbbell.

Halfway through my second round of burpees, I make the classic mistake.

I look around.

Big mistake, Anne.

Because now I’m comparing myself to the woman next to me who is already halfway through her 30’ walking lunges.

I’m still on burpees.

And instead of focusing on my own pace, my strengths, my strategy - I start thinking....

I’m not strong enough. Fast enough. Why am I even doing this?

And that, folks, is exactly what happens in business too.

Compete with yourself, not your competitors.

It’s easy to look at others and think they’re miles ahead.

Another photographer seems to be booking endless dream clients.

Their marketing looks effortless.

And suddenly, you feel like you’re lagging behind.

Linking back to Crossfit - if I tried to match this woman’s speed without training for it, I’d burn out, or worse, injure myself.

And in business, it’s the same.

If you keep chasing what your competitors are doing - copying their strategies, posting similar content, pricing how they price (or undercutting like I did) - you’ll end up exhausted, off-track and demotivated.

Instead, the real game-changer is focussing on your progress.

• What’s working for you?
• What feels sustainable for you?
• How can you build on your strengths rather than fight to keep up with someone else’s?

Because success doesn’t come from doing what everyone else is doing.

It comes from doing your thing consistently and well.

Your story is your strength.

This is where storytelling in your marketing becomes so powerful.

Your competitors might be doing similar work, but they don’t have your experiences, your perspective, or your way of connecting with clients.

Your stories - why you do what you do, the people you help, the journey that brought you here - are what make you stand head and shoulders above everyone else in your niche.

People don’t buy just because you’re a photographer, a coach, or an interior designer.

They buy because they resonate with you.

So instead of looking sideways at what everyone else is doing, start focussing on your own story.

Show up, share your experiences, and connect with your audience in your way.

That’s how you attract the right clients - without having to keep up with the competition treadmill.

Final Thought - keep going at your pace.

In Crossfit, I don’t need to be the strongest or the fastest in the gym to improve - I just need to turn up, focus on my form, and try and move better than I did last time.

In business, it’s the same.

Forget what others are doing.

Stay in your lane.

Keep refining your marketing, telling your story, and doing what works for you.

That’s what will set you apart.

PS If you’re struggling to figure out how to share stories in a way that stands out (without sounding like everyone else), I can help.

Let’s chat!

Anne x

Anne is a personal branding photographer and storytelling mentor, helping photographers and small business owners use the power of storytelling - through both imagery and marketing - to attract dream clients and make more sales.

Whether it's through photography, Anne's program or masterclasses, she shows business owners how to create marketing that feels natural, engaging, and, more importantly, sells their service.

Because when you tell the right stories, the right people listen.

To get in touch with Anne, drop her a message here on LinkedIn, or if you're curious about her storytelling program, then head over to her profile, scroll down to Features and click on The Conversion Story for more info.

Let's tell better stories.