A young athlete and an entrepreneur I know asked me almost simultaneously: “My head is spinning. What should I focus on as an athlete (leader)?” In a certain way, I gave similar advice to both of them.
In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, there are probably thousands of techniques that can be used to force an opponent to surrender under the threat of strangulation, pain or fracture. The novice athlete's brain is bursting with a dilemma: what should he do — try to learn all the techniques a little at a time, or concentrate thoroughly on one thing?
Fortunately, there is a simple solution, although it is not spoken about anywhere. It is necessary to study a variety of techniques, but exactly to the extent that you are able to recognize and neutralize them when your opponent is trying to use them against you in a fight. In other words, the ability to build all possible traps is not required — it is just enough to notice them in time and avoid them.
In addition, an athlete needs to invest actively in the development of the so-called "Tokui waza". This is a Japanese term from judo, meaning a favorite technique, and, in our opinion, a crown. We are talking about a technique in which you succeed especially easily and which almost always leads to a successful result.
"Tokui waza" — we are talking about a technique in which you succeed especially easily and which almost always leads to a successful result.
It is not so important why exactly this one you like. Most likely, you are predisposed to it due to the special anatomy of your body or the inclination of your mind. The main thing is that in a fight, other things being equal, you will try to use this particular technique. More precisely, it will "shoot" itself at the right moment. In training, it is literally physically pleasant for you to practice it again and again. Moreover, your favorite technique attracts your attention like a magnet, inspiring you to explore all its possible aspects and nuances.
How can you understand which technique will become your "tokui waza"? You have to watch yourself very sensitively during fights. Sooner or later, you will notice that some technique has worked out well, as if by itself, greatly surprising you and bringing you joy. That's it, this is now an investment zone for your attention and efforts. Collect information about this technique from any source, experiment with it before and after training.
Very soon, even the most experienced wrestlers will know that in certain situations, you are not to be trifled with. You, on the other hand, continue to diligently water what grows on its own. As a rule, one "crown" technique pulls the second one and the third. As a result, a whole bush of favorite techniques grows, allowing a novice athlete to win competitions more often.
This approach helped me to win two gold medals at the European Championships in 2018 and 2019, just three years after starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
In this sense, business and wrestling are very similar. In the perception of your clients, there is a certain set of "hygienic" factors, without which your company will not be allowed to "play". They are necessary but not sufficient to win. As customer requirements and market conditions change, this hygiene checklist must be constantly checked and updated.
But in order to win the "gold medal" in the competition, your company must have a "crown" its own "tokui waza". The leader should perceive his or her company as a coach perceives a promising athlete — carefully studying his characteristics in order to determine what the student does best. And having found this organic advantage, try to strengthen it and develop it as much as possible.
Yours sincerely,
-Alexander
As a business therapist, I help entrepreneurs to take faster tough decisions at the intersection of business and personality. You can check my detailed Linkedin profile. For our introductory call, you can choose a convenient time here.