A few years ago, I had a thought that made me deeply uncomfortable: If I disappeared tomorrow, would it actually matter? Not in the existential “Would people miss me?” way—(hopefully, yes)—but in the professional sense.
Would my work leave a gap so specific that no one else could fill it? The honest answer is probably not. Someone else would step in, pick up where I left off, and do the job just fine—maybe even better.
That realization sat with me for a while because if that’s true, what exactly am I working toward?
We’re all taught that success comes from getting better—sharper skills, more experience, a stronger résumé. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: If you’re only working to refine the same skills as everyone else, you’ll always be replaceable.
The people who seem to attract opportunities instead of chasing them—those whose careers unfold like a well-written script—aren’t necessarily the most talented. They’re just the most distinct.
These outliers have built something no one else can copy. They’ve carved out what Naval Ravikant calls a Personal Monopoly: a combination of skills, interests, and perspectives so unique that they become irreplaceable.
The Game Without Competition
In his book, The Almanack of Naval Ravikant, Eric Jorgenson describes success not as a game you win but as a game where you remove all competition. Instead of trying to be the best, you become the only.
Most people take the obvious path: work hard, rack up credentials, compete for the best roles. But here’s the problem—if you’re competing, that means someone else can win. The people who break free don’t compete. They create.
Seth Godin isn’t the “best” marketer in the world, but his style—big ideas wrapped in small stories—is unmistakable. James Clear didn’t invent habit formation but made Atomic Habits a phenomenon by blending psychology and identity in a way no one else had.
Maria Popova didn’t follow the traditional career path of a literary critic. Instead, she built Brain Pickings, a space where literature, art, and philosophy meet in a way only she could create.
These people aren’t fighting for a bigger slice of the pie. They’re baking an entirely different kind of pie. One that no one else even thought to make. That’s the shift. The goal isn’t to be “better” than the competition. It’s to build something so distinct that no competition exists.
How to Build Your Personal Monopoly
You don’t just stumble upon your Personal Monopoly like it’s some hidden treasure waiting to be found. It’s something you build, piece by piece, decision by decision. The good news is you already have the raw ingredients—you just need to recognize what’s there and shaping it into something uniquely yours.
Here’s how to do that.
Step 1: Pay Attention to What Catches Your Eye
In any field, certain ideas pull you in. Maybe it’s a question that won’t let go, a missing piece you can’t stop thinking about, or a pattern that feels obvious to you but invisible to others. These moments of recognition matter. The most original work often begins with noticing—what stands out, what sparks curiosity, what refuses to be ignored.
Step 2: Blend the Elements That Make You Different
Distinctiveness isn’t found in a single skill but in the way you combine things. The most irreplaceable people draw from multiple influences, combining them in ways that feel natural to them and surprising to everyone else.
Tim Urban (Wait But Why) turned deep philosophy into stick-figure-driven storytelling. Ali Abdaal layered medicine and YouTube into a multimillion-dollar media business. Your unique mix is already forming—you just have to recognize it.
Step 3: Define What People Will Remember About You
When someone describes your work in one sentence, what do you want them to say? Clarity comes from specificity. Not just “a great marketer” or “a smart strategist,” but “the person who makes psychology practical for everyday life.” How people talk about your work is shaped by how you present it, so give them something distinct to hold onto.
Step 4: Start Before You Feel Ready
Momentum begins the moment you put something into the world. James Clear started with simple blog posts twice a week. Sahil Bloom wrote Twitter threads before he had an audience.
Rather than wait for the perfect plan, they shared ideas repeatedly until people naturally associated them with something specific. The more you create, the more precise your Personal Monopoly becomes.
Your edge is already there, waiting to be sharpened through action. So keep building and keep sharing, and soon, your work will speak for itself.
Final Thought: Make Yourself Irreplaceable
Most people play the game of getting better. The ones who thrive play the game of becoming unique. A Personal Monopoly isn’t about outworking or outcompeting. It’s about building something so distinct that no one else can even be compared to you.
Start by asking yourself better questions:
- What do I see that others overlook?
- What unexpected skills or interests can I combine?
- What’s one thing I can start sharing today (even if it’s rough)?
The goal isn’t to “find a niche.” It’s to create a space where you’re the only one. Because at the end of the day, you don’t need to be the best in the world.
You just need to be the only one doing what you do in the way you do it.
Leave a Reply