The Power of Habit: From Wrestling Mats to Business Strategies

Like cables, habits can bind us or, when stretched like bridges, carry us across the deepest valleys to freedom.

Their force is a potent driver that can push us towards failure or pave the way for success. In my journey from a collegiate wrestler to a business strategist who helps companies enhance their communication and relationships, I’ve learned the indispensable role habits play in achieving success.

I understood early on that mastery requires repetition.

In wrestling, it was not just about being good at one technique, such as a low single takedown; it was about being versatile and proficient from multiple angles.

I remember vividly how adopting a new technique was often uncomfortable and awkward at first. The learning process was arduous and filled with repeated failure, but with persistent practice, what was once uncomfortable gradually became a part of my repertoire—a habit.

This principle holds in the professional realm as well.

In my consulting business, we work with organizations to foster better communication, strengthen relationships, and elevate consistency to new heights.

However, transformative results only emerge when new habits are formed. The other day, during a meeting with a client, we discussed their discomfort in adopting some non-negotiable practices. They found these new approaches awkward and uncomfortable, mirroring my discomfort with learning new wrestling moves.

I shared with them that growth lies in this discomfort. The transition from awkward attempts to smooth execution mirrors my wrestling days: practicing a move thousands of times until it becomes second nature. Likewise, in a corporate setting, it takes continuous effort and a willingness to remain in the uncomfortable zone before new methods solidify into habits that drive success.

Creating new habits is undoubtedly tough.

It pushes us into the unknown, requiring individual effort and collective will within a company. As I learned on the mats, you must challenge yourself to improve continuously.

You might be excellent at what you do now, but embracing and mastering new techniques & strategies is crucial to winning more, innovating, and outpacing competitors.

As we push forward in life and business, let's remember the dual nature of habits: they can constrain us if we let them become too rigid, or they can free us to explore new heights if we are willing to stretch them across our personal and professional valleys.