Product vs Packaging

Better doesn’t always win.

Companies don’t always buy the best options, sometimes they buy the cheaper one.

The people with the most expertise don’t always achieve the most attention and financial success, sometimes it’s the one who markets themselves better, or are more charismatic on camera, or who know how to play the media and court attention through volume.

Charlatans and con-men don’t win by having a better solution. The snake oil they sell is manipulation, not a trade secret.

Politicians don’t always win by being the better candidate; the one with more solutions, experience, or a track record of success. They don’t always win by being aligned with the majority. Often, they win by catering to the few and wealthy. Usually they win by playing to our fears. And sometimes they cultivate a persona that is more likable than the alternative, even though they’re hiding the knife they plan to stab you with.

Once we drop the misconception that being better is our ticket to success, we can properly set our expectations and give ourselves grace when we lose to someone who is cheaper and louder.

Once we understand better doesn’t always win, we can commit to being more patient with our own choices, so we can choose what’s actually better.

Once we realize that better often loses to an alternative with a message that resonates with people or something that minimizes expense, we’ll stop resting on the assumption that hard work and expertise are enough in a world that often values packaging as much as product, and price over value.