Re:Play the Point, Not the Score
by swombat on Friday February 06, 2009 @02:29AM
(#469497)
Strategic concessions and strategic fights are the true key to success. If you're in the battle, be in it to win it.
I agree with you (I think) and disagree with the article. One of life's useful lessons is precisely that some battles are not worth fighting. If you've decided to fight the battle, then make all necessary effort to win it, but if you haven't, don't.
Perhaps the most obvious, immediate example of this is the old parable of the horse race. What if you have 3 horses (fast, medium and slow) and your opponent has 3 horses (all slightly faster than yours... i.e. fast + a little, medium + a little, slow + a little). To win the battle, you need to win at least 2/3 races. How do you play this?
The solution is to pitch your slowest horse against the opponent's faster horse, your fastest horse against the opponent's medium horse, and your medium horse against the opponent's slow horse. "Trying to win every point" is a losing strategy here - only high level, strategic thinking can win the day.
Life is full of those situations. Play the game, not the point.
I agree with you (I think) and disagree with the article. One of life's useful lessons is precisely that some battles are not worth fighting. If you've decided to fight the battle, then make all necessary effort to win it, but if you haven't, don't.
Perhaps the most obvious, immediate example of this is the old parable of the horse race. What if you have 3 horses (fast, medium and slow) and your opponent has 3 horses (all slightly faster than yours... i.e. fast + a little, medium + a little, slow + a little). To win the battle, you need to win at least 2/3 races. How do you play this?
The solution is to pitch your slowest horse against the opponent's faster horse, your fastest horse against the opponent's medium horse, and your medium horse against the opponent's slow horse. "Trying to win every point" is a losing strategy here - only high level, strategic thinking can win the day.
Life is full of those situations. Play the game, not the point.