世界上，在某一领域有着绝对优势的人或产业永远是少数，大部分，是有着“相对优势”。正因为利用了相对优势，才有了各领域的杰出人才，有了不同行业的分工，也才有了国际间的贸易，有了全球化的经济。
There are always minorities, either people or enterprises, that have absolute advantage in a field; the majority apply their comparative advantage to professions where they do their best to be effective players. Based on comparative advantages, different divisions are formed as international trade and the globalized economy develop.
美国的佛罗里达州适合种植柑橘，中国的温州擅长做鞋子。两地的人们同样都需要柑橘和鞋子。若将温州地区的土壤改造成可种植进口柑橘的条件，或者将佛罗里达州地区的工人训练成可做温州人质量的鞋子，不是不可以，但是成本太高了。所以，不如两个地区的人都集中做本地区适宜病擅长做的事，在满足自己需要后，将其余的出口，结果双方都获得了比各自经营两种产品更为合算的成本低二质量高的产品。不言而喻，这其中双方利用的是自己的绝对优势。
Oranges are flourishing in Florida in the United States, for example, shoes are made perfectly in Wenzhou of China, and people in both areas need oranges and shoes. In Wenzhou, one could try to create an artificial environment for citrus trees of an international standard, and in Florida workers could be trained to make shoes as effectively as workers in Wenzhou using the same resources. However, the costs would be too high. The best solution, therefore, is to allow each location to specialize in its own product, producing enough to meet local needs and exporting the rest. As a result, people in both areas end up with lower cost and higher quality goods than if each tried to produce both. It is self-evident that absolute advantage occurs in this process.
然而，即便是有了绝对优势，也不一定要利用。例如，我认识一位出色的公司老板，他很爱车，并精通如何给汽车换油，甚至比专业技工还快，但是他自己的车，大部分时间，还是开到专业车店去换油。原因是，他可以利用那段时间做一些更有价值的事。这里，利用的不是他的绝对优势，而是相对优势。
However, absolute advantage may not necessarily apply everywhere. For instance, I know a capable company boss, who is also an expert in private cars and very skillful at changing car oil, even more efficiently than a mechanic. But, almost every time he drives his car to a garage to have the oil changed by a mechanic since he believes he can use the time to do something more valuable. What he uses here is his comparative advantage rather than absolute advantage.
同样道理，也适用于个人事业。每个人在某一领域，可能不是最好的，但他一定会有自己的相对优势。这种优势并不会因为别人的绝对优势而减弱，但却会因为自己的弱势小于别人的弱势而增强。
The same rationale may also apply to individual careers. You may not be the best in a certain area, but still have a comparative advantage, which will not be reduced in relation to others' absolute advantage, and you can still find an advantaged position in which your disadvantages is smaller relative to others.
一个在才智方面平平的人，可以因为认准、用对了自己的“相对优势”而成就甚大。所以，在某种意义上，“相对优势”的优势才是真正的优势。
An ordinary talent can, therefore, achieve outstanding results by rightfully exploring his or her comparative advantage. In this sense, we may say that comparative advantage really works.