5 Chess Lessons for the Entrepreneur

Wednesday, March 28, 2007 at 12:49pm by David Askaripour in Life

I’ve written about chess in the past, but I’d like to revisit the subject once again. Chess, to me, isn’t just a game — it’s an art form. For thousands of years chess has been played throughout the world and has become the game (re: art) of choice for many of the world’s most prominent intellectuals, entrepreneurs, and leaders.

We entrepreneurs can learn a great deal from the art of chess. Every single lesson learned in chess can be applied to your own life and help us make better decisions with our companies. Here are five lessons that I have attained from playing chess — lessons that have helped me to become a better person and a shrewder entrepreneur.

1. Patience

   Chess teaches you that sometimes you’ll have to take 2 steps back to go 3 steps forward. It shows you how to resist from making rash moves and think about the best possible combination to gain an advantage. Chess taught me to deeply consider each and every one of my moves as an entrepreneur — not to rush into things too quickly for a short-term advantage.

2. Calculation

   In chess, like math, a level of precision and calculation is needed to solve problems and defeat your opponent. You find yourself saying “well if I do this, and he does that, then I have to do this, and he may do that…” This type of analytical thinking literally forces your mind to expand — it’s a great mental exercise. As an entrepreneur, calculating your next steps and how they’ll relate and impact your clients and competitors will be necessary for success.

3. Bravery

   Like anything else in life, never let people see you sweat. In chess, when someone tries to intimidate you with a bold move and tries to command the board, you must show that you’re still in the game to win! You must show that you’re not in the business of being told what to do. Entrepreneurs must think the same way — you can’t let people tell you what to do, you can’t show your fear if a competitor has entered your turf, and you must never back down from a challenge.

4. Flexibility

   Palm trees survive the wind’s great force because they are able to sway and bend back and forth “with” the wind. Trees that are too stiff are easily felled by the wind because they aren’t able to move with the wind. In chess, you learn to become the palm tree that is agile, flexible, and pliable. You have to be ready to change your plans at any given moment and adapt to new changes on the board. Entrepreneurs must also be flexible with everything they do and be ready to alternate their plans at the drop of a dime. Chess taught me to be prepared for change and how to handle the ever-changing environments of business.

5. No Mercy

   When you have an advantage on the chessboard, there’s no room for feeling sorry or bad for your opponent. You must push forward — strong, hard, and forceful — and destroy your enemy. Never let up. Never become complacent. Crush ‘em! Let’s face it, business can be (re: always is) very cut-throat and if you are the only entrepreneur feeling bad for your competitors and doing more to help them than your own business, then you’ll be destroyed. Chess taught me that a level of ruthlessness is a necessary ingredient for success.

If you’re ever up to play some chess, signup for ICC (Internet Chess Club) and keep an eye out for me. My handle is: mindpetals.

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