FAIL, TO WIN.
A counter intuitive exercise
CS and Dharma were at it again.
My schoolmates, excellent cricketers, and almost always the two opposing captains in an after-school game.
We waited eagerly for the closing bell at school. Rushing to the ground, we threw our bags under the tree. Standing in a huddle, we waited for CS to show up.?Ever the showman, he sauntered in at his own pace.
As soon as he arrived, there was a cheer. Dharma stepped into the huddle, facing CS. The two captains got around to selecting the team.
This was a daily occurrence. Never a set team, selections were made based on who was available. And the captains’ individual mood and fancy of the day. Each captain alternated, picking one member for the team.
The daily practice was for a big selection and tournament to happen in a couple of months.
Something strange happened out there during the team selection. This strangeness continued for quite some time.
I noticed it over three weeks. One day, when we were walking back after the match, I saw Dharma and CS discussing something serious.
I approached them and asked them about the strange events.
To me, it appeared that both of them picked the weaker players for their individual teams. This was downright counter-intuitive.
It was as if they were competing to ensure that the best cricket players played for the opposition. How can not one but both the captains behave this way?
I asked them. Their answer was direct.
How else will I improve my game if I don’t play against the best players?
That is why they wanted the best players in the opposite team. Providing them enough opportunities to make mistakes, learn and improve.
CS, the batsman, and Dharma, the star pace bowler, formed a significant strategic team that lost some and won many. All by being ready for small losses on a daily basis.
领英推荐
**
Some lessons stay with you long after the event that kindled it.
This was one such lesson. To focus on the eventual goal. The longer-term.
If that meant that there will be minor losses in the short term, always on the path of improvement, so be it.
We are so inured to winning at all costs, at all times — that we refuse to think and do counter-intuitive things….
Think, act, be different. Be an outlier.
The Outlier Marketer recommends:
"PREDATORY THINKING" by Dave Trott
Review:
A pithy, short, to the point book which is a masterclass in outthinking the competition.
Rating:
Clarity of thought - 4.5 | Writing Style - 5 | Connect - 5 | Author Credibility - 4 | Uniqueness of Topic - 4 | Outcome - 4 | Title of the Book - 4 | Research - 4 | Book Cover - 5 | Author Website/ Resources - 4
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The Mindset Whisperer | Helping Coaches, Executives & Speakers Conquer the Fear of Writing to Build Their Legacy | Book Coach | Author | Speaker on Storytelling & Leadership Engagement
1 年Superb article. A lot of people have a fear of failure, which stops them from taking action. But if we tweak our thinking to see it as a game, it removes some of the pressure and makes learning more fun.
CEO, Acelabs Pvt. Ltd ( software development and consulting). and Pandian Saraswathi Yadav Engineering College
1 年for reason like i would get more chance of bowling and batting i had been doing this thanks to know that it is a good way to train myself better.
Author, Keynote Speaker, Gestalt & Humor Master, Optimism & Mindfulness Guru
1 年Yes. Learn to Improve. Thanks for the reminder Pravin Shekar
CRO @ Krea | Sales, Market Research, Pavilion Certified CRO, AI, ResTech, MarTech, Synthetic Data, Benchmark Six Sigma
1 年This takes me back to my college days when we used to play cricket and none of us worried about rolling over thorny bushes and gravel ground to take some catches. I would add PLAY, TO WIN to your FAIL, TO WIN. One must dare to DO and FAIL.
I do understand that taking small losses in the short term is good for long term big wins. Almost plotting to be weak and lose against stronger team to gain experience may be fine for cricket. In business, one may not be able to choose those battles and you may not survive to see long term? One can choose to compete against big boys head on and hope that such a fight would push the organization excellence. As opposed to fighting companies lower than yours and winning more battles. (We tried this successfully to scale with premium). Is this the core of your message? Even such a deliberate strategy requires a definite competitive advantage - typically combined with agility - to exist before you take on the big boys.