Leveraging momentum to stay ahead.

Ever noticed how those who seem to be slightly ahead just keep widening the gap? Once you achieve some signal of success, you gain resources, opportunities, and confidence that drive even more momentum.

Life tends to favor those who are already ahead.

Unsurprisingly, celebrities and the wealthiest people often get the most perks for free simply because of their status. We tend to reward those we perceive as successful with even more opportunities.

This creates a cycle where perceived success becomes a proxy for actual merit, leading to the best opportunities going to those already in the spotlight, independent of whether they are the best.

This plays out in all aspects of society.

Malcolm Gladwell highlights this phenomenon in “Outliers” with hockey players: the oldest, slightly more developed kids receive the best coaching and resources, making it almost impossible for younger players to catch up.

Success, it seems, is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This bias is present everywhere, so if you can play into it, you can get ahead.

When I started college, I saw an opportunity to reinvent myself after slacking off in high school. Determined to get ahead, I met with my career coach, first-year success coordinator, and academic advisor during the first week. I joined three clubs and leveraged my involvement to join three more, eventually landing an internship at a private equity firm through a cold email by my freshman spring semester.

It was unprecedented for a freshman.

This early success made a significant impression on my senior peers, who then invested countless hours helping me prepare for a career in investment banking. I am immensely grateful for their mentorship.

Momentum done right snowballs your life in an upward spiral. However, only some get a lucky break, so what should you do to help get you ahead of the curve?

Interesting is just as good as “cracked.”

Living an incredibly interesting life can generate as much momentum as being in the top percentile of your field. An interesting story can compensate for skill deficits, opening doors to opportunities that can eventually make you exceptional.

Most of the people I look up to combine both traits: they are not only exceptionally skilled but also lead fascinating lives.