What is your Edge?

Welcome to Motivational Monday.

I heard an interesting statistic today. It was from a retired tennis player who only won 54% of the points that he played in professional singles matches.

If you are like me, you are probably wondering what sort of career this player had. Could he even win enough prize money to continue playing professionally? Perhaps he had rich parents or had to get a second job.

Well, let me tell you some more statistics:

• Single matches played: 1,526

• Win-loss: 1251-275

• Win percentage: 82%

• Consecutive weeks as World number 1: 237 (World record)

• Total weeks as World number 1: 310

• Career prize money (singles and doubles combined): 130,594,339$

Did you guess that the tennis player is Roger Federer? I am sure that you agree that these are incredible statistics from someone who nearly lost half the points he played.

This story shows that you can achieve incredible things from a very small ‘edge’. Let’s examine the meaning of ‘edge’ in English.

What is an ‘Edge’?

Edge has several meanings in English. We will list some here but it is the last one that is the subject of this email:

• Edge - noun - the outer or furthest point of something. e.g. ‘the edge of a table’

• Edge - noun - ‘the side of a blade that cuts. e.g. be careful with that knife because it has a very sharp edge’

• Edge - noun - the point just before something noticeable happens. e.g. ‘the company is on the edge of 'bankruptcy’

• Edge - noun - an advantage over other people. e.g. She has an edge over other candidates because of her 5 years of experience

We saw that Roger Federer actually has a very small edge over his opponents on a point-by-point basis. Let’s look at another example of a small edge leading to big results.

The House Edge - Casinos

Why do casinos always take more money than they pay out? They always have an edge - the house edge. Roulette is a classic example.

In European roulette, with 18 red and 18 black numbers plus one '0’, the house edge is 1/37, or 2.7%. In American roulette, with an additional '00,' the house edge increases to 2/38, or 5.26%. Therefore, playing European roulette offers better odds."

What is my Edge?

As a Business English coach, my edge comes from over 30 years of experience running a business in the UK and my current roles as a businessperson and project manager. This extensive background allows me to understand and address the real-world challenges faced by business professionals, such as meeting deadlines, negotiating deals, and delivering results under pressure. I don't just teach English; I speak the language of business, offering practical insights and advice that go beyond the classroom.

I think that I also have an edge in investing which we can examine below.

Edges in Investing

Many people think that professional investors have an edge over retail investors (like me) but I do not agree. Here are three reasons why:

• Information: While professional investors indeed have access to a lot of resources and data, information is becoming more widely available for everyone. Retail investors can use this to their advantage.

• Time: Retail investors do not have other investors to answer to and should be happy to let their investments grow over time. They don’t need to be worried about quarterly or even annual returns. Many professional investors are constrained by having to deliver short-term results.

• Flexibility: Retail investors can move in and out of positions much easier than professional institutions because of liquidity. They can also allocate small positions to assets that are not regulated for a high risk but a potential high return.

What is your Edge?

Having looked at how having a small edge can lead to massive results, what is your edge? What small advantage do you have in the different areas of your life?

For those of you studying English then this may be a very powerful edge - especially as you progress up the career ladder.

Think about your own edge in different areas of your life.

Word of the Day: Deadline

Deadline - noun - a time or day by which something must be done.

“The project manager set a deadline of Friday to complete the report.”

Do you have any Business English questions?

Please email me and I will do my best to answer them in future newsletters.

Until Wednesday - have a great day!

Iain.

www.communicateenglish.com

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