The real unfair advantage is focus
"unfair" advantages are often associated with things that are external. Better network, funding, timing. But in practice, the biggest one I've seen is focus.
I recently changed my working hours from 9am-5pm to 2pm-10pm. That gave me early mornings completely to myself without all the noise. I still get enough overlap with my team in the evening, but the first half of my day is protected for personal time.
Before making the change, I kept a counter for all the messages, quick doubts, "two-minute" clarifications, spontaneous discussions throughout a normal working day. I was averaging 16. These were individually harmless interruptions but collectively destructive.
I had practically cut that number in half. In return, I got two extended blocks of "focus time". One from early morning till noon for my personal work, and another from noon till night (half of which after everyone has left the office) for my work as a technical lead. These turned out to be the most focused, and in turn productive hours I've had in a long time.
Focus is leverage because it multiplies everything you already have. Skills compound, judgement improves, decisions get cleaner all because your cognitive surface area is not being constantly fractured.
If you can consistently create long uninterrupted stretches of work in an otherwise distracted environment, your output will look disproportionate.
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