Everyone's seen the Venn diagram showing where your passion, skills, and market demand overlap. That’s where money and meaning meet. But Kevin Kelly adds a sneaky fourth question: “Can anybody else do that?”
Why It Works
- It adds scarcity to the success formula — rarity drives value.
- It forces differentiation, not just competence.
- It keeps your work in the “can’t-be-replaced” zone.
- It turns your talent into a moat.
Examples
- MrBeast makes videos anyone could film, but no one can match his scale or generosity.
- Apple’s design philosophy is copied daily yet rarely equaled.
- Patagonia found its lane by mixing activism with apparel — few dare to copy that balance.
- Seth Godin built his career by owning “permission marketing” before anyone else did.