Is it better to target a small market or a large one? Are you running in circles or actually moving forward?

Every day, you’re confronted with a critical, often uncomfortable question: Is what I’m doing really moving me closer to the outcome I want?

It’s tempting to dodge this question because the honest answer might be painful.

Admitting that some of your efforts don’t matter feels like admitting you’ve wasted time.

Yet, the reality is that being busy and being productive are two entirely different things.

Running in circles might make you sweat, but it won’t get you any closer to your destination.

Imagine swimming in the vast ocean of a large market.

You're just a minnow, surrounded by countless competitors, many of whom you've never even heard of.

This scenario seems daunting, doesn't it?

In business, as in life, the allure of a vast market often overshadows the practical benefits of focusing on a smaller, niche segment.

Yet, in your pursuit of scale, you overlook the inefficiencies akin to bespoke building designs in urban planning.

Just as it's impractical to design each building from scratch, targeting an overly broad market can be just as inefficient, time-consuming, and costly.

Here’s the paradox: When you concentrate all our energy in one direction, you amplify your impact.

But this requires making tough choices—ruthlessly eliminating up to 40% of your current activities, even if they feel comfortable or familiar.

It’s hard. It means questioning what seems essential and recognising that every minute spent on trivial things comes at the cost of your most important goals.

How much of your mental capacity is consumed by activities that just relegate your potential down the ladder?

The key to productivity - and in this context, market success - lies in concentrating your efforts where they matter most.

When you spread your resources too thin, you're not maximising impact but merely filling space.

The real "work" in both productivity and market strategy isn't about doing more; it's about doing what's most effective.

Being busy in a large market doesn't equate to being productive.

Running around in circles trying to please everyone often leads to mediocrity rather than excellence.

Focus. Just as in productivity, where you should ruthlessly eliminate 20-40% of your activities that don't contribute to your goals, in business, targeting a smaller market allows you to become the big fish in a small pond.

This focus lets you tailor your offerings, understand your customers deeply, and innovate in ways that are too risky or diluted in a larger market.

Like standardised housing which streamlines pre-development processes for efficiency, a concentrated market strategy can lead to breakthroughs, not because you're doing more, but because you're doing what truly matters.


Focus less on efficiency and more on effectiveness.

Eliminate the bespoke, over-engineered, and inefficient processes in your life—whether in work or personal pursuits.

In essence, the path to significant impact isn't through the broad, sprawling waters of a vast market but through the deep, clear waters where your efforts can be seen, felt, and appreciated.

Ask yourself the hard question: Does your business strategy really matter to the outcome you want?

If you're honest, the answer might lead you to where you can truly make a difference.

The Essential Concepts

The Power of Focus: Concentrating on a smaller, more targeted market can lead to greater success than pursuing a large, diverse market.

The Importance of Prioritisation: Identifying and eliminating low-value activities.

The Value of Efficiency: Streamlining processes and focusing on what matters most.

The Role of Strategic Thinking: Making deliberate choices about where to allocate time and resources.

The Importance of Adaptability: Being willing to adjust your strategy as needed.

The Power of Consistency: Taking consistent action towards your goals.

The Value of Patience: Recognising that success takes time and effort.

The Importance of Self-Awareness: Understanding your strengths and weaknesses.

The Role of Feedback: Seeking feedback from others to improve your approach.

The Power of Resilience: Persisting through challenges and setbacks.

I am a Knowledge Worker...

What does it mean for me?

As a knowledge worker in a corporate setting, you often find yourself "running in circles"—constantly busy with tasks that don't truly advance your career or organizational impact. The blog's analogy of "Big Market vs. Small Market" directly applies to how you allocate your time and effort within the vast corporate "market." Trying to be indispensable to everyone or excel at every task is like being a "minnow in a vast ocean," diluting your impact. This leads to The Dangers of Busyness without commensurate productivity. True career growth comes from applying The Power of Focus to a niche area where you can become an expert or lead critical initiatives. This requires The Importance of Prioritization—ruthlessly eliminating "bespoke, over-engineered, and inefficient processes" or low-value activities that consume your mental capacity, allowing you to concentrate your energy on what truly matters for your advancement and the company's strategic goals.

How do I action this?

• Conduct a "Time-to-Impact" Audit: For one week, track your daily activities and categorize them by their direct contribution to your top 1-2 career goals or strategic organizational priorities. Identify activities that consume significant time but offer low impact. Commit to "ruthlessly eliminating 20-40%" of these low-value activities, starting with a 30-minute block daily, applying The Importance of Prioritization.
• Define Your "Corporate Niche": Identify a specific skill set, subject matter expertise, or functional area within your organization where you can genuinely become the "big fish in a small pond." Actively seek out projects, committees, or learning opportunities within this niche to deepen your expertise and visibility, leveraging The Power of Focus.
• Implement a "Strategic Say No" Framework: Before accepting new tasks or responsibilities, apply a personal filter: "Does this align with my defined corporate niche and top priorities, and will it significantly amplify my impact or visibility?" If not, politely decline or suggest a more suitable colleague, exercising The Role of Strategic Thinking to protect your focus.
• Optimize for "Effectiveness, Not Just Efficiency": For a recurring task or process you own, challenge its current form. Instead of just trying to do it faster (efficiency), ask: "Does this task matter to the outcome I want for my career or the organization?" Look for ways to simplify or eliminate steps that don't directly contribute to the desired result, emphasizing The Value of Efficiency and The Importance of Prioritization.

I am a Freelancer, Solopreneur, Entrepreneur, Independent Worker...

What does it mean for me?

As an independent professional, the temptation to target a "Big Market" is enormous, believing more customers mean more success. However, the blog warns that this often leads to "running in circles"—being busy without genuine forward momentum, like a "minnow" lost in a vast ocean of competitors. This dilutes your efforts and prevents you from truly differentiating, creating The Dangers of Busyness. True business sustainability and growth come from The Power of Focus on a "smaller, niche segment" where you can become the undisputed expert. This requires The Importance of Prioritization to "ruthlessly eliminate" broad, "bespoke" offerings or marketing efforts that spread your resources too thin. By concentrating your energy, you can deeply understand your customers, tailor your offerings, and innovate effectively, turning the "paradox" of a small market into amplified impact and genuine breakthroughs.

How do I action this?

• Define Your "Niche Client Persona": Instead of broadly targeting "businesses" or "anyone who needs X," create a highly specific profile of your ideal client within a niche market (e.g., "SaaS startups in the health-tech sector with Series A funding looking to scale content marketing"). Focus all marketing and outreach efforts exclusively on this persona, applying The Power of Focus.
• Perform a "40% Activity Elimination Challenge": Review all your current business activities (marketing, client acquisition, product development, admin). Identify activities that don't directly contribute to serving your defined niche or generating substantial revenue. Challenge yourself to "ruthlessly eliminate up to 40%" of these, even if they feel comfortable, to free up time for high-impact work (The Importance of Prioritization).
• Develop a "Standardized Solution" for Your Niche: Instead of offering highly customized ("bespoke") solutions for every client, identify the 80% common problems within your chosen niche. Develop standardized, repeatable solutions or product features for these problems. This streamlines your "process" and allows you to deliver more effectively, leveraging The Value of Efficiency and The Role of Strategic Thinking.
• Implement a "Weekly Impact vs. Busy" Review: At the end of each week, review your accomplishments. For each, ask: "Did this activity truly move me closer to being the 'big fish in my small pond' or generate significant impact, or was I just busy?" This self-assessment reinforces The Power of Focus and helps prevent running in circles, fostering The Importance of Self-Awareness.