Weekly Reflections: What’s My Edge, Why Rush to Fly, and the Beauty of Impermanence
Three lessons on strategy, growth, and embracing the present—actionable insights for anyone navigating change and uncertainty.
Full text: 1,070 words, estimated reading time: 3 minutes 53 seconds.
全文約 700 字，閱讀時間約 2 分 30 秒
There are only two ways to truly internalize knowledge:
Making mistakes (to discover what you don’t know)
Digesting then outputting (explaining it in your own words).
Hence, I’m following the Weekly I/O model: each week, I summarize what I’ve learned or recalled in bullet points, to organize my mind and force myself to keep growing.
生命經驗告訴我，將「知識」有效內化的方式唯二：
犯錯（因而知道「你所不知道」的事）
咀嚼後輸出（用「你的語言」 說一遍）
於是我決定模仿 Weekly I/O，將自己每週所學（或偶然想起的觀點），以列點、摘要的形式寫下來，一方面整理腦子，另一面強迫自己必須定期長腦。
以下是我的本週「咀嚼」：
1. Cut decisively—avoid the innovator’s dilemma
當斷則斷，避免「創新的兩難」
The innovator’s dilemma: companies focus on current customers and markets, miss paradigm shifts, and fail to embrace disruptive innovation—ending up overtaken by new entrants.
Classic cases: Nokia/iPhone, Microsoft PC vs. iOS & Android, Blockbuster/Netflix.
The Browser Company’s recent pivot from Arc to Dia is a live example. Arc, a Chrome-based browser with standout UI/UX, achieved:
Over a million users globally
A loyal fanbase, with “Arc is the savior” vibes
$550M company valuation
「創新的兩難」（The Innovator’s Dilemma）是個經典困境，成功的企業因為「專注在既有的客戶跟市場」，因為忽略（或意識到但已來不及）新的典範轉移（Paradigm Shift），反而無法「擁抱破壞式創新」，最終被新進者超車。
經典案例如 「Nokia / iPhone」、「微軟的 PC 主義 / iOS and Android」、「百視達 / Netflix」族繁不及備載，我也懶得多談，反正 You get the point。
近期新創 The Browser Company 選擇「棄 Arc、投 Dia」的戰略，讓我回想起「創新的兩難」。Arc 是一款從 Chrome 改造而來、令人驚艷無比的瀏覽器，其絲滑、處處為 user 著想的 UI / UX，使它成功：
在全球累積破百萬用戶
用戶死忠、熱愛這個產品，討論的風氣彷彿「Arc 是救世主 」
讓公司估值達到 5.5 億美元
But behind the scenes:
Never became a phenomenon (unlike ChatGPT)
Signature features rarely used (Space 5.52%, Live Folders 4.17%)
Rushed releases led to technical debt and performance bottlenecks
After tough reflection, CEO Josh Miller ended Arc’s development and pivoted to AI with DIA—upsetting loyal fans and drawing negative YouTube comments.
但在光鮮亮麗的背後，這家公司和其產品卻面臨：
始終無法變成「現象級產品」（至少不是 ChatGPT 那種）
引以為傲的「亮點」，其實鮮少人使用（Space 5.52%, Live Folders 4.17%）
倉促 Ship 產品，累積的技術債已導致產品出現「效能瓶頸」、「疊床架屋」
在痛定思痛後，CEO Josh Miller 宣布停止開發 Arc，轉向 AI 戰場，最終推出了 DIA，這個決定讓 Arc 的死忠粉絲們感到背叛，導致這家新發布的 Youtube 影片充滿負面言論。
I once felt resentment toward the company’s decision, but after setting aside my emotions, I realized:Arc’s pivot to Dia reveals a classic innovator’s dilemma!
Arc operated in a saturated, non-disruptive market; growth was capped from the start.
Dia targets a blue ocean: everyday life redefined by AI, with far less direct competition
Google and Microsoft browsers have integrated Gemini/Copilot, but legacy user bases and antitrust risks prevent bold AI adoption.
Apple is late to AI and is acquiring Perplexity to catch up; Comet will likely compete head-to-head with Dia.
Brave, Firefox, and similar browsers remain in the traditional space and are not current threats.This is a textbook case of the innovator’s dilemma and blue ocean strategy in action!
My reflections:
Sustainable advantage requires honest self-assessment and strategic focus.
What is my edge, and will it still be an edge in the future?
Avoid crowded markets and fighting entrenched strengths.
Seek blue oceans—find spaces where your strengths are unique and competition is scarce.
對於這家公司的決定，我也曾感到憤恨，但撇開情緒後，不難發現：
Arc 位處紅海市場，它的創新並非破壞式，注定長不大，
DIA 則相反，瞄準了「AI 重塑後的，人們生活日常」這個藍海市場
目前 Google / 微軟的瀏覽器，雖已導入 Gemini / Copilot，但受限於其龐大的傳統用戶基數、反壟斷訴訟可能，仍無法大刀闊斧導入 AI。
在 AI 領域上明顯慢半拍的 Apple ，則嘗試併購 AI 搜尋新創 Perplexity 來跟上趨勢（後者正準備推出 AI Browser Comet, 多半會和 Dia 直接競爭）
至於其他的 Brave / Firefox 等，則仍停留在傳統瀏覽器的戰場，不構成威脅。
這不是藍海市場是什麼？這就是一次處理「創新的兩難」的經典情境呀！
我反思是：
我有什麼優勢？它在未來還是一種優勢嗎？
不要去人多的地方、對抗他人的既有優勢
尋藍海，尋找「你的優勢無可取代，人又少」的地方
2. Don’t try to fly before you can run
還不會跑，別想著飛
I once nurtured a “little devil”—full of potential, so I gave everything, hoping it would shine and take on real responsibility.
I shared my fruits, taught how to plant, even how to tell the world about your own harvest—wanting this seed to become an angel: value-driven, visible.
But it grew into something showy, obsessed with performance, blind to whether it brought value to the group or the world.
This left me questioning: I tried to build a culture of morale, mutual support, and value, leading by example—so where did I go wrong?
Mentor’s advice:
If you model self-promotion before someone understands value, you risk growing a weed, not a tree.
Maybe, to them, I am the “little devil” I complain about.
My reflections:
Lay the groundwork first. Don’t try to fly before you can run.
Beware the trap of form without substance.
我曾親手培育出了一隻「小惡魔」。
初來乍到的它，看似潛力無限，於是我傾囊相授、希望它發光發熱，終能承擔大任。
我有果實就分享，也教它如何種樹、如何向他人宣揚「自己種的果子多棒」；我希望它變成一個「致力於創造價值，同時也會被看見」的天使。
但它卻變成了一個好大喜功、熱愛表演，卻不關注自己「對大環境、對大家是否有價值」。
這件事讓我很疑惑，我希望打造一個士氣高昂、人人互助、價值導向的氛圍，也言行一致、避免自己變成錯誤榜樣，究竟哪裡出了差錯？
我向前輩請教，得到以下回饋：
我在對方尚未理解「價值為何物」時，就先示範了「怎麼大聲宣揚自己」
這導致心性未穩的幼苗，在因緣輾轉下，長成了毒瘤
說不定它眼中的我，就是我現在口中的「小惡魔」
我的反思是：
紮穩馬步很重要，還不會跑，別想著飛
且忌「只得其形，未得其髓」
3. Cherish the present—A thing isn’t beautiful because it lasts
珍惜當下，事物並非因其長存而美好
This is Vision’s classic line from Avengers: Age of Ultron, reflecting two ASIs’ opposing views on humanity—one sees us as doomed and imperfect, the other finds beauty in impermanence.
這是 Avengers: Age of Ultron 裡 Vision 的經典台詞，映照出兩個 ASI (人工超級智慧）對人類的不同態度，一者認為注定消亡（Doomed）的人類是「不完美的」，一者則認為「事物並非因其長存而美好」。
Vision offers more wisdom:
“There is grace in their failings.”
“What is grief, if not love persevering?”
Whoever wrote these lines truly has great wisdom!
I gave this line to a friend who was stuck in doubt, afraid to invest in something that might not last.
Whatever our state, we’re already our best selves—there’s nothing to fear, nothing to hesitate over. Live boldly. The real regret is never having tried.
My reflections:
• Don’t fear failure; it’s the best way to learn.
• Fully experience the present, not just chase permanence.
• You’re already at your best—go for it.
Vision 還有很多金句，例如：
失敗有其優雅之處（There is grace in their failings）
何謂悲傷？不正是因為愛仍堅持不懈（What is grief, if not love persevering）
寫出這些句子人真有些大智慧！
我將這句話，送給了近期自我疑慮的一位朋友，其裹足不前，不敢投資一項可能不會永久的項目。
不管我們的狀態如何，我們都已經是「最佳版本的自己」，所以沒有什麼好怕、好猶豫的，勇敢的體驗你的人生，人生的真正遺憾是「當時自己什麼都沒做」。
我的反思：
不要怕失敗，因為失敗是學習最好的途徑
全力體驗當下，而非追求事物的長存
我們都已經在自己的 Best version, go for it!