Swim upstream. Go the other way. Ignore the conventional wisdom. If everybody else is doing it one way, there's a good chance you can find your niche by going in exactly the opposite direction.
Habit is far more dependable than inspiration. Make progress by making habits. Don‘t focus on getting into shape. Focus on becoming the kind of person who never misses a workout.
The path to the CEO's office should not be through the CFO's office, and it should not be through the marketing department. It needs to be through engineering and design.