Non-academic context - what I have learnt. (After getting my primitive, innate competitive nature drawn out to the frontline by an extremely irritating person.)

Be original.
Be the best.
Stand out from the rest.
Have something up your sleeve that only you alone can offer.
And often, that something constitutes hard work on your part.
And we know that for some things, there's nothing to it but hard work.
And hard work can not be imitated.

Be quiet.
Come out with a bang.