Back in college, a roommate taught me and another friend the basics of chess. Although we grasped the rules quickly, we lacked the patience to master the game’s deeper strategies. Eagerly jumping into gameplay, we focused on capturing pawns, bishops, and knights. I gained a temporary upper hand, thinking the match would end swiftly with my victory. However, we soon found ourselves in a stalemate, aimlessly moving pieces across the board without making any progress. Frustrated, we both decided to quit and move on to other pursuits.
Years later, I realized this experience mirrored my entrepreneurial journey. My early approach was to dive in headfirst, quickly assessing the situation before leaping into action—a classic case of “Ready, Fire, Aim!” This method led to stagnation and poor decisions until my business partner, Jared, suggested we needed a new strategy: “We need to start playing chess, not checkers,” he said, emphasizing the importance of thinking several moves ahead.
Adopting this approach transformed how we made decisions. By gathering comprehensive data, we could make informed, strategic choices. While not every decision was correct, this method accelerated our progress toward our goals. Learning to “slow down to go fast” was crucial, a lesson that proved invaluable both in business and in life.
Now, with a better understanding of strategic thinking, perhaps it’s time for me to give chess another shot!
Until next time,
Bill
