More Articles - January 2010
Mission Statement
Why I made this blog
In a time of strategists and in a land of swordsmen, Miyamoto Musashi reigned supreme. Born in 1584 in Feudal Japan, Musashi is recognized as the greatest swordsman in all of Japanese history. Undefeated in over 60 lethal contests, at 61 years old, Musashi retired to a mountain cave a... More
Pick Your Battles – Part 1
Pick Your Battles – Part 1
OK, true story, I swear. I was a young analyst, happily but crazy diligently working away in my new job in the acquisitions department of a huge real estate company. One bright and sunny day with the birds chirping outside, the vice president of the corporation invited me into his office.&... More
Pick Your Battles [Part 2]
Pick Your Battles [Part 2]
As I thought through the Monty-Python-esque situation I was in, my crazy boss telling me that if I didn’t wear a belt with my suit, I was outta there, and despite my temptation to tell him what he could do with (and where he could el-shove-o) that belt, I began to think that, like Musashi a... More
Outside In [Part 1]
Outside In [Part 1]
(Alternative Title: Damn Chocolate Doughnuts are Tasty) I just ate a chocolate doughnut. A really good chocolate doughnut. I knew that I was supposed to be eating well, I know that I want to keep in shape, I know that that stuff is not good for me. In fact, I woke up this ... More
Outside In [Part 2]
Outside In [Part 2]
(Alternative Title: Damn Chocolate Donuts Are Tasty) So, how does a person accomplish this conquering of the self to get away from over focusing on minor details? People know that they need to obtain their goal, this is not big news to anyone, how do we fight and conquer ourselves and get ... More
Foresight Part 1: Change and The Conference that Bored Me Into Wisdom
Foresight Part 1: Change and The Conference that Bored Me Into Wisdom
A little while ago, I went to a media industry conference in New York. There were many big time people that would be talking at this conference, including Ted Brokaw and Christiane Amanpour, so naturally I expected the discussion to be both sharp and cutting-edge. The speeches of the ... More
Foresight Part 2 - Sun Tzu’s Principle that the Business Experts Get Wrong
Foresight Part 2 - Sun Tzu’s Principle that the Business Experts Get Wrong
Forecasting future events is a great example of an area where ideas and practical strategy meet in Asian philosophy. Sun Tsu’s Art of War and the philosophy of Taoism provide a very effective method of seeing down the road to strategic advantage. In fact, as we will discuss in t... More
The Internet: Use it, Don’t Let it Use You
The Internet: Use it, Don’t Let it Use You
When I was younger and learning to play music (the trumpet, which is why to this day my neighbors return my smiles with frowns on the elevator), my father taught me a great lesson. I think it was a great lesson not only for music but for strategy and life as well. He told me... More
Asian Philosophy - Use It Or Lose It - A Theory of Learning
Asian Philosophy - Use It Or Lose It - A Theory of Learning
Throughout my studies, when I was a student (those were the days!), and in a way to this day, I have always been caught between a rock and a hard place. Instead of applying Asian philosophy to strategy and business, which is what I wanted to do, many academics preferred that I focus on issu... More
Use What Is At Hand - Part 1 - Musashi’s Principle that Jason Bourne Never Forgot
Use What Is At Hand - Part 1 - Musashi’s Principle that Jason Bourne Never Forgot
Do you remember the scenes from the Bourne movies where Jason Bourne rolls up a magazine and uses it as a weapon or thrashers the bad guy with a book? If you do, I think like everyone, you would agree they were some of the coolest scenes in recent movies. But would you be surprised to know ... More
