For this very reason I always try to stay in the "mid to low frequency" spectrum.

Put very bluntly, in high frequency domains you compete with fast people (and they have resources) but in mid- or low frequency you compete with smart people. The problem is much harder but therefore it's also much easier :)

This is not to say that I'm a profitable quant (because I'm not) but I think my chances are much higher in the are I chose.