While working on a product or startup it’s easy to be reactive to other companies. If your agenda is set by these reactive decisions you will always be following and not leading.
To lead you need to be proactive and thinking out of the box. This will lead to opportunities for true innovation.
Reference
Fried, Jason, and David Heinemeier Hansson. Rework. 1st ed, Crown Business, 2010.
Highlights or timestamps
Do not, however, let your competitors dictate your own strategy.
— ^681a1e from Rework
Focus on what you’re doing, not on what others have done.
— ^eddd5a from Rework