Courage is one of the scarcest commodities there is

“Too many firms have made growth and size, rather than differentiation, their strategic priority. Instead of identifying and executing a clear market positioning, many companies and firms have consciously pursued a policy of “If you need it, we can do it!”
…
“staying focused and true to a strategy has been, and always will be, hard to do.
.
The hunger for volume has meant that many individuals and firms are uncomfortable with (or even shocked by) the notion that, to achieve a distinctive strategy, they will need to turn away work that a major competitor may reasonable want to serve.”
…
“you can’t get the benefits of a strategy that you don’t implement, and half measures are unlikely to work. Strategy is not about understanding something – or planning to get around to it. It’s about having the courage to make it happen. You can’t let other people, even clients, determine the pace at which you create your distinctiveness.”
…
“Courage is one of the scarcest commodities there is. That’s why it’s a significant source of competitive advantage!”

.

Trechos retirados de "Strategy and the Fat Smoker" de David Maister