Barriers to Entry.

There’s a business concept called ‘Barriers to Entry’ helpful in assessing whether a company has a sustainable competitive advantage.  First coined in the 1950’s and later made famous by Michael Porter’s ‘5 forces of strategy’ Harvard Business Review article, ‘Barriers to Entry’ refers to defenses existing companies (also known as ‘incumbents’) have protecting them from potential threats. 

Examples of barriers to entry are plentiful.  Amazon has such scale that other companies can’t compete on cost.  Google has enormous IP through search history and ad marketing, it would be difficult for a new entrant to meaningfully challenge their position.  Credit card companies have loyal customer bases given it’s a pain for customers to change credit cards, making it tough for a new player to enter the market profitably.  You get the idea. 

When executed well, the idea is a brilliant one.  Though these barriers may not eternally protect an incumbent from any and all threats, they deter potential competitors and can buy an existing player valuable time to orchestrate a defense if a threat does arise. 

When built well, these barriers are powerful moats, providing a buffer from the unexpected and enabling incumbents to allocate more energy elsewhere.  Because of these barriers, incumbents can focus on growth and new ventures, dedicating resources to things like building IP, investing in R&D, or growth in new markets rather than constantly surveilling the competition, on watch for what threats may arise. 

To the casual observer, these barriers may seem to be due to luck or coincidence, but they have been thoughtfully pursued.  Investors frequently evaluate investment opportunities based on whether these barriers exist and strategy work revolves around developing or sustaining competitive advantages such as these.  Though these barriers may take years to develop and significant resources to maintain, the peace of mind and flourishing they enable are well worth the investment.

So, what does this mean for us?

There are some obvious themes here applicable to our own lives: maintain margin with finances, find your niche at work… but stopping there sells the barriers to entry concept short.  The point of having barriers goes beyond just developing a unique capability for the sake of building a safety net – those are just means to an end.  The ultimate purpose of the barriers is for a company’s livelihood, sustainment, and flourishing.  The moat is built so the castle within it can flourish.

As our livelihood is left wanting without spiritual flourishing we ought to create spiritual barriers so that we may fully flourish, so that we have defenses to call upon in moments of attack.

The idea of creating spiritual barriers may seem aggressive – radical even – but we are under attack in much more subtle ways than we often recognize.  Ephesians 6 reminds us, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Whether it’s physical distress, systemic anxiety, or sneaky distraction, the battles we face have spiritual components.  And, when we’re fighting a spiritual, mental, or emotional battle – one that tries our spirit instead of our physical strength – we tend to feel powerless a whole lot more quickly.  Sometimes, we’re one dark thought away from feeling disarmed, isolated, or overwhelmed, which is why equipping ourselves is so crucial.  Building up our defenses before we need them is what will give us breathing room in moments of darkness. 

How do we build spiritual barriers?

In my experience, the below practices are helpful tools in building spiritual barriers.  Of course, these are not quick fixes to all of life’s problems, but maintaining these practices can build a buffer for us, so we are less blown by the winds when the storms do come. 

• Consistent time with God: Time spent communing with God is never wasted.  Investing the energy into talking with God and being truly open with Him (especially when we don’t ‘feel like it’, when we’re angry or hurt or confused) is an endless well of peace.  Whether through meditating on His word, honest prayer, or listening to worship music, developing the habit of running to our Father will serve us well when trouble strikes.  Even Christ, who was God stole away for moments of prayer and time with God alone.  The more we anchor on who God is and develop a personal relationship with Him, the closer we are to truth when troubling winds blow. 

• Memorizing scripture: During intense moments of pain, fear, or distress, God’s word is like turning on a flashlight in a dark room: grounding and comforting.  The Word of God is the only weapon Paul names when he calls the Ephesians to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6) and Christ uses scripture as a tool when facing the enemy during his 40 days in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11).  But, since these moments of difficulty often surprise us, scripture is most useful when it is so profoundly ingrained in us that it can be conjured with ease, otherwise it will be difficult to recall in moments of darkness. 

• Honest, closely-knit community: There’s great freedom in having people in your life who know about the skeletons in your closet (bonus points if they also lovingly tell you about the skeletons you might not have met yet).  When we face serious battles, we need honest friends who we have been open with about our struggles so we aren’t prey to isolation or shame.  These friends can also aid us in our weakness: helping us to see the truth when we’re in a fog, encouraging us to continue on our journey when we’re faint, and praying over when we’re too spent to pray for ourselves. 

Like building anything else worthwhile, these barriers will take time, investment, and maintenance.  But, just like the corporations who have invested in their own barriers to entry, so too will these pay incredible dividends