Jiu-Jitsu Legend's 2 Secrets to Winning Applied to Business

There is a principle at work for the very elite in every industry and discipline. It consists of two things:

1. The ability to anticipate the movements of your opponent, thus enabling you to be there before they arrive
2. The ability to create a space for your opponent to occupy, which leads to the outcomes you desire

Peter Aerts is a master at number 1. Nicknamed “The Norwegian Lumberjack”, Peter is regarded as one of the greatest kick boxers of all time. People observing him often think that he is unbelievably quick, especially for a man of his size – over 6’ 3” tall and 231 lbs. His opponents disagree – he isn’t very fast at all; he is incredibly adept at reading intentions and getting into position first.

In business, what value can be gained from turning inside of your competitors’ turn? What if you could consistently be there, ready, before your opponent ever arrives?

Marcelo Garcia is the Michael Jordan of Jiu-Jitsu. He is a master of nuance and training in transition. He intentionally broadcasts his training exercises and sparring before major fights – essentially inviting his opponents to study the moves he is about to use against them. His logic?

“If you are studying my game, you are entering my game; and I will be better at it than you.”

Marcelo intentionally applies pressure, then relaxes just a bit, giving his opponents the openings that he wants them to take. Thus luring them into submission or knock-out.

Are we mastering our craft to that level? Elon Musk recently open-sourced many of Tesla’s patents. He’s openly inviting his competitors to get familiar with his IP. Maybe Elon is to electric car manufacturing what Marcelo is to Jiu-Jitsu.

“Music is the space between the notes” - Claude Debussy

So...

• Are you observing your customers or competition, anticipating their next move?
• Are you thinking about the transition space?
• What are you doing to create strategic space in your interactions?

I've found that the best way to meaningful interactions in business and in personal life is to practice empathy. By really coming to understand people and why they do what they do, we can offer them great solutions that add real value. When we do that, we are in rare company in any marketplace.

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Steve Underwood is an inspirational speaker, technology sales professional, and life-long learner. He is currently focusing on large account acquisitions for Workfront, and is based in sunny San Diego, CA.