Have a recent realization? Share it here.

[Ubermensch]

Throughout the day, little ideas will hit me, and I think they're dope/worth sharing, but I never take the time to do it.

Kind of like tweets, but with more substance than 140 characters allows.

On page 28 of Dr. HAHA Lung's Mind-Sword, Mastering the Asian Dark Arts of Mind Manipulation, he quotes Musashi as saying:

I believe this "crossing at the ford" occurs often in a man's lifetime. It means setting sail even though your friends stay in harbor, knowing the route, knowing the soundness of your ship and the favor of the day. When all conditions are met, and there is perhaps a favorable wind, or a tailwind, then set sail. If the wind changes within a few miles of your destination, you must row across the remaining distance without sail.

Lung goes on to say: "Even a cursory examination of this paragraph shows it oozing to overflowing with the spirit of determination.

A ford is the shallower part of a river or strait-between islands, familiar to mariners in general, as well as to a well-traveled ronin like Musashi who wanderlust took him to all corners and all ports of call on the many islands of the Japanese archipelago.

Musashi's words drip with determination to cross to that far shore whatever it takes, in the face of rising foul weather, no matter the desertion by fair-weather friends.

But beyond this obvious interpretation, those who dive deep enough will discover precarious pearls of (deliberately hidden?) wisdom.

Thus, "Crossing at the Ford," demands we dare delve deeper."

My realization is that as entrepreneurs or people running their own gigs, we often have to "cross the ford" and set sail without the support of friends, loved ones or even family. They so often prefer to "stay in harbor," and may subconsciously harbor ill will towards us for not settling as they have. And yet, we have to "know the route." In spite of their complaining and lack of support, we have to "know the soundness of our ship." If the opportunity you've got requires a visionary (hint: you) to see it, then it is unsurprising (and sometimes, equally frustrating) that no one else sees your vision.

The man died (and the legend was born) centuries ago, but his wisdom lives and breathes as much today as enemies lived and breathed their last breaths before they fell under Musashi's sword. One wonders if the sword on the cover of the 50th Laws pays homage to Musashi (or any of the other legendary greats who lived, died (or got rich!) by the sword. Heh-heh-heh.

Anyway, hope that's a little motivation for you, a little fuel for the fire. The truth is that during the most gruesome moments of your grind, the most difficult part is likely the most beneficial. Just like being in the gym: It hurts now, you'll see the results later.

 

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[Ubermensch]

There is no problem with loving money. Loving money leads you to ask questions like: What can I do to make money?

That question is quickly shot down around here, with the answer: Find a need.

But, let's think about this purely out of logic. Purely out of logic.

If you truly love and want money, I mean truly, truly, TRULY want and love - or if you truly love anything for that matter - then you will do everything in your power to obtain it. Either that, or that's not truly what you what and love... at least not primarily... not hierarchically.

In the book Objectivism, the Philosophy of Ayn Rand (Affectionately referred to as "OPAR," by true-believing Objectivists), Leonard Piekoff (Rand's protege from year's ago) made some very brilliant observations.

Note: Let me put it this way. Rand described OPAR as the best summation of her official philosophy Objectivism) ever written! So, if you haven't read OPAR - or any of Ayn Rand's fiction, for that matter - ya don't really know Ayn Rand. Reading Anthem, The Fountain Head or Atlas Shrugged is only the beginning.

Feel ashamed about your pitifully low knowledge of Ayn Rand? No worries. Ubermensch just gave you this link to the Ayn Rand Lexicon. Search Ayn Rand's brain by subject there.

Anyway, back to Piekoff. Among the many astute, perfectly logical, eloquently and simply explained points in OPAR, Piekoff explains the hierarchical nature of knowledge. In terms of philosophy, whatever your foundation is determines the rest of your philosophy. It is up to you to make sure that the upper levels are all in perfect unison, that they do not contradict one-another. Start with a premise. All else proceeds from there.

Back to money. If your desire for money is pure and deep... meaning that it goes all the way to the core, then you will do anything for money. You'll work sleepless nights. You'll sacrifice everything. You'll risk everything. If you want money in the context of success, in the Berton Braley poem below, then you'll do whatever you have to do. You'll find a need. You'll fall in love with the process of finding a need, because you love and want money, and you know that if you fall in love with the process, that leads to mastery. You'll do whatever it takes. Whatever. Whenever (hint: all the time).

It's unbeatable logic. If you want and love money above all else, you will do everything (including finding a need) to succeed. Period.

That is, of course, if you truly want it above ALL ELSE. That means you want success, money and power more than you want to go to that function with your broke friends and their dad that pay everything. It means you're not goofing off on the weekends and holidays with other broke people. It means you're not getting wasted with your pals, because getting wasted messes with your focus. And you need to be focused, because where you want to go (hint: the top), well, that road ain't paved with flowers and freshly mowed grass, buddy. It's paved with blood, sweat and tears: Yours!

Because if you're a visionary - in the words of Howard Roark, a man that down the road of destiny "armed with only his own vision" - then you're probably not a follower. You're probably the first guy doing what you're doing, so all your'e going to get is doubt, and probably worse. Like Howard Roark said, the man who invented fire was probably burned at the stake by the gift he tried to give his fellow cave men.

So, go ahead, Prometheus. Bring the fire. Change their lives forever. Make their lives better. And if they hate on you because the love of money is the root of all evil, just give em' a little dose of Francisco:

Originally posted by The Queen of Capitalism, Ayn Rand
Francisco’s Money Speech”
AYN RAND (2002.08.30 )
The following is an excerpt from Atlas Shrugged, © Copyright, 1957, by Ayn Rand. It is reprinted in Capitalism Magazine by permission of the Estate of Ayn Rand.May not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of her Estate.

“So you think that money is the root of all evil?” said Francisco d’Anconia. “Have you ever asked what is the root of money? Money is a tool of exchange, which can’t exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is this what you consider evil?

“When you accept money in payment for your effort, you do so only on the conviction that you will exchange it for the product of the effort of others. It is not the moochers or the looters who give value to money. Not an ocean of tears not all the guns in the world can transform those pieces of paper in your wallet into the bread you will need to survive tomorrow. Those pieces of paper, which should have been gold, are a token of honor–your claim upon the energy of the men who produce. Your wallet is your statement of hope that somewhere in the world around you there are men who will not default on that moral principle which is the root of money, Is this what you consider evil?

“Have you ever looked for the root of production? Take a look at an electric generator and dare tell yourself that it was created by the muscular effort of unthinking brutes. Try to grow a seed of wheat without the knowledge left to you by men who had to discover it for the first time. Try to obtain your food by means of nothing but physical motions–and you’ll learn that man’s mind is the root of all the goods produced and of all the wealth that has ever existed on earth.

“But you say that money is made by the strong at the expense of the weak? What strength do you mean? It is not the strength of guns or muscles. Wealth is the product of man’s capacity to think. Then is money made by the man who invents a motor at the expense of those who did not invent it? Is money made by the intelligent at the expense of the fools? By the able at the expense of the incompetent? By the ambitious at the expense of the lazy? Money is made–before it can be looted or mooched–made by the effort of every honest man, each to the extent of his ability. An honest man is one who knows that he can’t consume more than he has produced.’

“To trade by means of money is the code of the men of good will. Money rests on the axiom that every man is the owner of his mind and his effort. Money allows no power to prescribe the value of your effort except the voluntary choice of the man who is willing to trade you his effort in return. Money permits you to obtain for your goods and your labor that which they are worth to the men who buy them, but no more. Money permits no deals except those to mutual benefit by the unforced judgment of the traders. Money demands of you the recognition that men must work for their own benefit, not for their own injury, for their gain, not their loss–the recognition that they are not beasts of burden, born to carry the weight of your misery–that you must offer them values, not wounds–that the common bond among men is not the exchange of suffering, but the exchange of goods. Money demands that you sell, not your weakness to men’s stupidity, but your talent to their reason; it demands that you buy, not the shoddiest they offer, but the best that your money can find. And when men live by trade–with reason, not force, as their final arbiter–it is the best product that wins, the best performance, the man of best judgment and highest ability–and the degree of a man’s productiveness is the degree of his reward. This is the code of existence whose tool and symbol is money. Is this what you consider evil?

“But money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver. It will give you the means for the satisfaction of your desires, but it will not provide you with desires. Money is the scourge of the men who attempt to reverse the law of causality–the men who seek to replace the mind by seizing the products of the mind.

“Money will not purchase happiness for the man who has no concept of what he wants: money will not give him a code of values, if he’s evaded the knowledge of what to value, and it will not provide him with a purpose, if he’s evaded the choice of what to seek. Money will not buy intelligence for the fool, or admiration for the coward, or respect for the incompetent. The man who attempts to purchase the brains of his superiors to serve him, with his money replacing his judgment, ends up by becoming the victim of his inferiors. The men of intelligence desert him, but the cheats and the frauds come flocking to him, drawn by a law which he has not discovered: that no man may be smaller than his money. Is this the reason why you call it evil?

“Only the man who does not need it, is fit to inherit wealth–the man who would make his own fortune no matter where he started. If an heir is equal to his money, it serves him; if not, it destroys him. But you look on and you cry that money corrupted him. Did it? Or did he corrupt his money? Do not envy a worthless heir; his wealth is not yours and you would have done no better with it. Do not think that it should have been distributed among you; loading the world with fifty parasites instead of one, would not bring back the dead virtue which was the fortune. Money is a living power that dies without its root. Money will not serve the mind that cannot match it. Is this the reason why you call it evil?

“Money is your means of survival. The verdict you pronounce upon the source of your livelihood is the verdict you pronounce upon your life. If the source is corrupt, you have damned your own existence. Did you get your money by fraud? By pandering to men’s vices or men’s stupidity? By catering to fools, in the hope of getting more than your ability deserves? By lowering your standards? By doing work you despise for purchasers you scorn? If so, then your money will not give you a moment’s or a penny’s worth of joy. Then all the things you buy will become, not a tribute to you, but a reproach; not an achievement, but a reminder of shame. Then you’ll scream that money is evil. Evil, because it would not pinch-hit for your self-respect? Evil, because it would not let you enjoy your depravity? Is this the root of your hatred of money?

“Money will always remain an effect and refuse to replace you as the cause. Money is the product of virtue, but it will not give you virtue and it will not redeem your vices. Money will not give you the unearned, neither in matter nor in spirit. Is this the root of your hatred of money?

“Or did you say it’s the love of money that’s the root of all evil? To love a thing is to know and love its nature. To love money is to know and love the fact that money is the creation of the best power within you, and your passkey to trade your effort for the effort of the best among men. It’s the person who would sell his soul for a nickel, who is loudest in proclaiming his hatred of money–and he has good reason to hate it. The lovers of money are willing to work for it. They know they are able to deserve it.

“Let me give you a tip on a clue to men’s characters: the man who damns money has obtained it dishonorably; the man who respects it has earned it.

“Run for your life from any man who tells you that money is evil. That sentence is the leper’s bell of an approaching looter. So long as men live together on earth and need means to deal with one another–their only substitute, if they abandon money, is the muzzle of a gun.

“But money demands of you the highest virtues, if you wish to make it or to keep it. Men who have no courage, pride or self-esteem, men who have no moral sense of their right to their money and are not willing to defend it as they defend their life, men who apologize for being rich–will not remain rich for long. They are the natural bait for the swarms of looters that stay under rocks for centuries, but come crawling out at the first smell of a man who begs to be forgiven for the guilt of owning wealth. They will hasten to relieve him of the guilt–and of his life, as he deserves.

“Then you will see the rise of the men of the double standard–the men who live by force, yet count on those who live by trade to create the value of their looted money–the men who are the hitchhikers of virtue. In a moral society, these are the criminals, and the statutes are written to protect you against them. But when a society establishes criminals-by-right and looters-by-law–men who use force to seize the wealth ofdisarmed victims–then money becomes its creators’ avenger. Such looters believe it safe to rob defenseless men, once they’ve passed a law to disarm them. But their loot becomes the magnet for other looters, who get it from them as they got it. Then the race goes, not to the ablest at production, but to those most ruthless at brutality. When force is the standard, the murderer wins over the pickpocket. And then that society vanishes, in a spread of ruins and slaughter.

“Do you wish to know whether that day is coming? Watch money. Money is the barometer of a society’s virtue. When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion–when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing–when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors–when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you–when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice–you may know that your society is doomed. Money is so noble a medium that is does not compete with guns and it does not make terms with brutality. It will not permit a country to survive as half-property, half-loot.

“Whenever destroyers appear among men, they start by destroying money, for money is men’s protection and the base of a moral existence. Destroyers seize gold and leave to its owners a counterfeit pile of paper. This kills all objective standards and delivers men into the arbitrary power of an arbitrary setter of values. Gold was an objective value, an equivalent of wealth produced. Paper is a mortgage on wealth that does not exist, backed by a gun aimed at those who are expected to produce it. Paper is a check drawn by legal looters upon an account which is not theirs: upon the virtue of the victims. Watch for the day when it bounces, marked, ‘Account overdrawn.’

“When you have made evil the means of survival, do not expect men to remain good. Do not expect them to stay moral and lose their lives for the purpose of becoming the fodder of the immoral. Do not expect them to produce, when production is punished and looting rewarded. Do not ask, ‘Who is destroying the world? You are.

“You stand in the midst of the greatest achievements of the greatest productive civilization and you wonder why it’s crumbling around you, while you’re damning its life-blood–money. You look upon money as the savages did before you, and you wonder why the jungle is creeping back to the edge of your cities. Throughout men’s history, money was always seized by looters of one brand or another, whose names changed, but whose method remained the same: to seize wealth by force and to keep the producers bound, demeaned, defamed, deprived of honor. That phrase about the evil of money, which you mouth with such righteous recklessness, comes from a time when wealth was produced by the labor of slaves–slaves who repeated the motions once discovered by somebody’s mind and left unimproved for centuries. So long as production was ruled by force, and wealth was obtained by conquest, there was little to conquer, Yet through all the centuries of stagnation and starvation, men exalted the looters, as aristocrats of the sword, as aristocrats of birth, as aristocrats of the bureau, and despised the producers, as slaves, as traders, as shopkeepers–as industrialists.

“To the glory of mankind, there was, for the first and only time in history, a country of money–and I have no higher, more reverent tribute to pay to America, for this means: a country of reason, justice, freedom, production, achievement. For the first time, man’s mind and money were set free, and there were no fortunes-by-conquest, but only fortunes-by-work, and instead of swordsmen and slaves, there appeared the real maker of wealth, the greatest worker, the highest type of human being–the self-made man–the American industrialist.

“If you ask me to name the proudest distinction of Americans, I would choose–because it contains all the others–the fact that they were the people who created the phrase ‘to make money.’ No other language or nation had ever used these words before; men had always thought of wealth as a static quantity–to be seized, begged, inherited, shared, looted or obtained as a favor. Americans were the first to understand that wealth has to be created. The words ‘to make money’ hold the essence of human morality.

“Yet these were the words for which Americans were denounced by the rotted cultures of the looters’ continents. Now the looters’ credo has brought you to regard your proudest achievements as a hallmark of shame, your prosperity as guilt, your greatest men, the industrialists, as blackguards, and your magnificent factories as the product and property of muscular labor, the labor of whip-driven slaves, like the pyramids of Egypt. The rotter who simpers that he sees no difference between the power of the dollar and the power of the whip, ought to learn the difference on his own hide– as, I think, he will.

“Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction. When money ceases to be the tool by which men deal with one another, then men become the tools of men. Blood, whips and guns–or dollars. Take your choice–there is no other–and your time is running out.”

Success, By Berton Braley

If you want a thing bad enough

To go out and fight for it,

Work day and night for it,

Give up your time and your peace and your sleep for it

If only desire of it

Makes you quite mad enough

Never to tire of it,

Makes you hold all other things tawdry and cheap for it

If life seems all empty and useless without it

And all that you scheme and you dream is about it,

If gladly you’ll sweat for it,

Fret for it,

Plan for it,

Lose all your terror of the opposition for it,



If you’ll simply go after that thing that you want.

With all your capacity,

Strength and sagacity,

Faith, hope and confidence, stern pertinacity,



If neither cold poverty, famished and gaunt,

Nor sickness nor pain

Of body or brain

Can turn you away from the thing that you want,

If dogged and grim you besiege and beset it,

With the help of God you will surely get it!

 

[Ubermensch]

Just some notes I freestyle-typed to get the brain flowing. Robert Greene often says that applying the 48 Laws is not necessarily about memorizing them by rote, and rigidly attempting to apply them. Rather, he describes it as "state of mind." When discussing his consulting for corporations (he sits on the board of American Apparel and I believe Dove as well), he says that it's about thinking long-term and not being so concerned with the quarterly report.

There are a couple of ideas that come to mind from this. One, most Fastlaners and aspiring Fastlaners have likely felt the burn of the moment. Like a good workout, that burn is the temporary pain that comes with the work required to get you want. If you want power, respect and success - and all of the fruits of life this brings - you have to toil in the field. You have to endure that pain. Robert Greene (Chapter 8, 50th Law, Mastery) says that if you're really after power and mastery, you will ingrain in your mind the notion that there are no shortcuts.

You have to endure pain of mundane work. In the documentary on Usain Bolt, Usain's father father said that he cannot watch his son train, because of how much pain it takes to be the fastest man alive and repeatedly shatter his own world-records with 3.3 billion people watching. You have to endure the pain of your 9-5 friends condescendingly questioning your life choices. You have to endure with "your generally pain-in-the-butt girlfriend" or your "oldlady's bitchin'" (exact quote from Lung). The pressure of The Matrix always exerts itself to crush you, and it often uses those closest to you. But what does Musashi say? Row on alone. He also says that it will be difficult at first... but everything is difficult at first.

No pain? No gain. You have to ask yourself if the glory is worth. Imagine the faces of your allies and enemies when you pull this off. Focus on that, and nothing else. Train yourself to blot out the emotions and elements of the moment, and aim your energy only on the actions necessary to lead you closer to your goal. It is actually quite easy once you get the hang of it. As with anything else, it gets easier with repetition and practice.

Sun-Tzu, The Art of War for Managers, 2nd Edition, 50 Strategic Rules, Updated for Today's Business. Authors: Gerald A. Michaelson and Steven Michaelson. Quote from Chapter 4: Disposition of Military Strength.

Strategy always comes always comes before tactics, just as thinking comes before doing. However, thinking can be the easy part; it's the doing that is difficult.

I have seen this recently in my own endeavors. In one case, I plotted in my mind regarding the strategic setup for one aspect of my business. Eyes always focused on the ultimate strategic goal, the daily CONTACT with people did not have so much of an affect on my strategy. My strategy is flexible, allowing for both "good" and "bad" luck. In one case, a CEO readily agreed with me suggestion (a key piece to total success). In another, it initially seemed as though another aspect of my business was going to come to a grinding halt. Again, however, the situation was resolved... thanks to the aforementioned CEO.

ibid

It is a business fundamental that the strategy must be correct for the tactics to succeed. There's no chicken and egg problem here; the strategy must be right first, you must be doing the right thing. Then the tactics can support the strategy by doing things right. Excellent strategy at higher levels can sustain many tactical failures at lower levels. The converse is rarely true.

There's so much wisdom in here. All of the great thinkers, from Robert Greene in the 48 Laws (his think like an Olympian god analogy comes to mind), to Nietzsche ("I know my fate... one day I will be associated with something tremendous..." heh-heh-heh...).

Watch 21:00 - 22:00 and 36:00 - 37:00. The guy talking is Richard A. Gabriel, PHD, Distinguished Professor, Department of War Studies, Royal Military College of Canada. Notice that he makes essentially the same point about long-term thinking not once, but twice. Rather emphatic about it, isn't he?

Robert Greene's 33 Strategies come to mind as well. He devotes an entire chapter to Grand Strategy (chapter 12), and goes as far to recommend visualizing victory in "glorious detail." Dr. HAHA Lung delves into this as well, providing numerous examples of meditation techniques and visualization exercises (shout-out to the mandala in my mind's eye). All of Dr. Lung's talk about meditation and Zen states is interesting, considering that Robert Greene, in numerous interviews, tells us that he has been practicing Zen-style meditation for years... ever since he met 50 Cent.

Improvisation is key to success. The most effective strategies of war (what Greene calls dirty warfare) - guerrilla warfare is an example - make extreme use of flexibility, mobility and chaos. The term rational randomness comes to mind. Or perhaps controlled chaos.

The following is one of the most emotionally-stirring, motivating, and confidence-building passages from Sun-Tzu

Sun Tzu says:

The skillful warriors in ancient times first made themselves invincible and then waited the enemy's moment of vulnerability. Invincibility depends on oneself, but the enemy's vulnerability on himself. It follows that those skilled in war can make themselves invincible but cannot cause an enemy to be certainly vulnerable. Therefore, it can be said that, one may know how to achieve victory, but cannot necessarily do so.

Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack. Defend yourself when the enemy's strength is abundant, and attack the enemy when it is inadequate.

Those who are skilled in defense hide themselves as under the most secret recesses of earth.

Those skilled in attack flash forth as from above the topmost heights of heaven.

Thus, they are capable both of protecting themselves and of gaining complete victory.

Some of this rings with the spirit of Leonard Piekoff's finale in OPAR: To save the world, one has to do is think. Other parts of it echo more Sun-Tzu. "Being unconquerable lies within yourself." Vietnamese strategy in their war with the United States comes to mind as well (digging through underground passages to set up the TET Offensive, one of Robert Greene's favorite examples of superior strategy... which he compares to 3-D chess versus chess, and the Art of War documentary scholars compare to as Go versus Chess).

Later in Chapter 4 of Sun-Tzu for Business Managers, the authors state that opportunities for attaining strategic superiority can be found in the following highlighted points:

*The product or service that is so clearly unique and carefully targeted that it has no competition. Obviously, such a product or service fills a need, and adheres to the barrier of entry principle.

*The idea that is so completely researched and validated that no other seems viable. This almost sounds like "know your environment" or "know the terrain" to me.

*The fundamental truth that is presented with such moral strength that any other approach appears immoral. This actually reminds me of my buddy Steele Concept, who just made more money on one deal than the average American makes in one or two years. He sent me some info on Jordan Belfort's training program. I glossed over a summary of his work, and what stuck out to me is that the energy with which you present is highly important. That's something I do on default because I'm so psycho-obsessed and crazy-in-love with what I do.

In the History Channel documentary on the Art of War, Mark McNeilly (Author of Sun-Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare) describes Sun-Tzu's Art of War as a comprehensive and holistic philosophy. He goes on to analogize the principles in Sun-Tzu as individually strong chords that are unbreakable when woven together and used in unison. the principles in Sun-Tzu's

Which leads to me to ask: How much more unbeatable are you walkin' around with a Dr. HAHA Lung/Robert Greene/Sun-Tzu chord to beat opponents with?

 

[Ubermensch]

Henry Kissinger described Mao as a "cold-bloodedly Machiavellian."

 

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[Ubermensch]

Steve Jobs responds to an insult, saying that the first step is understanding the customer's need first... not the technology.

Maybe you need a bit of a God complex to accomplish the amazing and get people to follow you.

 

[Ubermensch]

I once read - or heard in an interview - from Robert Greene that General Mao fertilized his mind with the rules and concepts of Go by constantly playing The Game.

There are a total of 10761 possible moves in go, as opposed to only 10120 in chess. This vastness (remember, the object of the game is to capture space, not win by attrition) speaks to the formlessness of the game, as expressed by Robert Greene in the 48th Law of The 48 Laws.

A famous grand master chess-player once said that the rules of Go are so eloquently logical that if intelligence beings exist on other planets, they most assuredly play Go.

There are similarities between the game of Go and martial arts. Dr. HAHA Lung would appreciate.

In some of his Go strategy lectures, Nick Sibicky and his cohorts sometimes refer to Game Theory.

"In formal game theory terms, Go is a non-chance, combinatorial game with perfect information. Informally that means there are no dice used (and decisions or moves create discrete outcome vectors rather than probability distributions); the underlying math is combinatorial; and all moves (via single vertex analysis) are visible to both players (unlike some card games where some information is hidden). Perfect information also implies sequence—players can theoretically know about all past moves.

Other game theoretical taxonomy elements include the facts that Go is finitely bounded (strictly speaking, because our lifetimes are finite); the strategy is associative (every strategy is a function of board position); format is non-cooperative (not a team sport); positions are extensible (can be represented by board position trees); game is zero-sum (player choices do not increase resources available–colloquially, rewards in the game are fixed and if one player wins, the other loses) and the utility function is restricted (in the sense of win/lose; however, ratings, monetary rewards, national and personal pride and other factors can extend utility functions, but generally not to the extent of removing the win/lose restriction).Affine transformations are beyond the scope of this article, but they can theoretically add non zero and complex utility aspects even to two player games (see the Maschler reference on go/chess that follows here, p. 111)." ~ Wikipedia, Maschler, Michael (2013). Game Theory. Cambridge University Press.

Analogies

In Go, the object of the game is to capture space while using as few resources as possible. Drawing the analogy, an entrepreneur's resources are time, money, etc. The object of the game is to capture as much market share via Go-style strategies (i.e. guerrilla warfare/marketing, use chaos and flexibility like Napoleon and Kahn). Hint: Think Vietnamese General Giap and Sun-Tzu's success against the empire of Chu.

 

[Ubermensch]

The people who say they've got your back are far too often the people who talk about you behind your back. Beware of those who say that they've got your back; they're perfectly positioned to stab you in it.

 

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[Ubermensch]

@Thiago Machado
@axiom

Just realized what time it is.

The same time it always is, 24/7, 365.

It's time to get money.