Find the unseen advantage

Most elites in their field will possess some niche advantage that is hard to spot for the untrained eye. Some are obvious, like being tall for basketball. Some are harder to find, but once you see them, you can't unsee them. Take actors for example, some of the best actors have disproportionally large heads. Not something you would notice, but once you do, you’ll never be able to not notice. But why is this? What natural advantage does this phenotype grant?

Don't hate the player, hate the head

Actors have larger face frames because it allows them to express more emotion on screen. They can control a larger set of facial muscles to produce more variation in their expression with more subtlety. It’s a big advantage for their profession compared with someone who possesses a smaller face. Of course this is an advantage, but not one that is unable to be outworked. As they say, hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. 

And sometimes, talent never stops working out

The more you train yourself to look for these advantages, the easier it will become. What do all water polo players have in common? If you watch a game and look for something, would you be able to spot it? Anyone in a profession or who trains semi-seriously will eventually notice that they’re being beaten by people who possess one or more of these advantages. This advantage is not just related to sports, but elitism in any field. The best at sales can keep a conversation going without thinking. The best designers will be able to conceptualise a finished product in their mind.

One thing I do know.. they always wear these hats

I’m not saying you should give up on your dreams of elitism if you don’t possess the same natural advantages as others. You should however be at least able to identify and minimize the impact of them. Perhaps you draw attention to your other strengths, or find teammates that can offset your weaknesses. Identify, adapt and absolve yourself from your disadvantages. Or congratulate yourself for possessing one of these advantages and realise you’re one of the lucky ones.