What can entrepreneurs learn from studying martial arts?
I have been a trainer for well over 20 years, before the rise of social media and now I foresee an even bigger change to the fitness industry with the rise of technology – we all must adapt and change if we want to continue succeeding. Within my business, I have learnt a lot of different fitness disciplines and trained with many different kinds of people for varying needs. However, when thinking about business growth for myself and those I mentor, I can return back to a time when I trained and competed as a professional Thai Boxer (Thailand) and think about what we can learn as entrepreneurs from studying martial arts.
Any fitness activity has stress-relieving and well-being benefits, but martial arts, regardless of which ones are practised, are particularly mindful and skill-based; thus, they become quite meditative.
Eastern traditions have long used martial arts to develop physical attributes, tactical knowledge and character. For example, when Facebook was about to buy Snapchat, Stephen Spiegel bought his management team Sun Tzu’s Art of War, and CEOs around the world often cite the samurai classic text ‘Book of 5 Rings” as a how-to manual to raise the top.
I think entrepreneurs are missing out if they take intellectual lessons from reading warfare strategy and combat & martial arts guides though. Nine times out of ten, it is mindset, mental toughness and exquisite focus (and not actually business acumen) that entrepreneurs need to help get their businesses to the next level.
How specific Martial Arts teach us business lessons.
1) Learning Strategy, Attention to Detail and Problem Solving
BBJ, Judo and wrestling – all very technical sports where you learn to make good decisions under pressure. The more you know about yourself, your business, your customers and your market, the better.
2) Learning Connection and Rapport
Aikido and Wing Chun Kung Fu – these ‘soft’ martial arts require you to listen to the other person’s energy when you fight. When you learn to be sensitive in mind, you are perfectly empathetic and can feel other people’s energy, then you can work with it and use it to your advantage. Listening to your customers (often hidden needs) is key to business success.
3) Learning Perspective
Muay Thai / K1 / Kickboxing. These martial arts place a heavy focus on sparring. If you train in them, it won’t be long till you get punched or kicked in the face! Taking strikes can be alarming at first, your whole world momentarily falls apart, but with practice you learn to take the blows in detached way. You literally don’t feel pain as you are so focused. This is a brilliant lesson for the rollercoaster of emotions entrepreneurs can often feel on any given day or week. A calm outlook helps everything!
By Dan Roberts
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Dan Roberts is also a career development speaker for local schools via the Working Knowledge charity and via his roles as a Business Mentor for both Virgin Start Up and the Prince’s Trust.
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[1] http://www.sentientdevelopments.com/2007/03/managing-your-50000-daily-thoughts.html
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