The Competence Trap
Getting better at the work raises how different you feel, not how different you actually look to a buyer.

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The mechanism
The chart shows two lines climbing from "competent" to "elite." The red dashed "how distinct you feel" line rises steeply as your craft improves. The solid "how distinct you actually are" line barely lifts off the floor. The buyer already assumed you were good, so being better mostly changes your own sense of standing out, not theirs.
Part of Positioning. Who you are for and why you are the obvious choice.