Bushido is a complex blend of philosophy and self-discipline from 16th Century Japan known as The Way of the Warrior.
At the heart of Bushido was the purpose to balance civil and military aspects of life during the rise of the Samurai warrior class. In essence, how can you prepare for war, yet remain at peace.
In The Warrior’s Rule by Tsugaru Kodo-shi, the author describes the importance of warriors’ preparedness.
“Strict military preparation when you have no opponents is called the preparedness of warriors… Without warriors’ preparedness, as a knight you have nothing to grip and nowhere to stand; it’s like being in a boat on the ocean without an oar- what will you do if a storm comes up?”
While it could seem that warriors’ preparedness is less relevant in today’s modern world, I would argue that it is never more important than now.
It can be difficult to prepare when there is no opponent in sight.
But think about COVID and how many people were physically, mentally and spiritually unfit.
Think about the businesses that lacked discipline in managing their expenses and their cash flow.
Think about the current economic crises with inflation and interest rates out of control.
There is more than one commercial real estate project underwater. There is more than one general contractor going out of business due to a lack of leadership, mismanagement, and simply being unprepared.
Having a warrior’s mind to prepare in advance is crucial.
It allows you to endure hard times. It allows you to overcome the impossible. It allows you to conquer yourself when living a life of ease.
Thousands of miles away in the Mediterranean almost 2,000 years before the rise of the Samurai warrior class, Herodotus hinted at the importance of challenging yourself.
“In soft regions are born soft men.” – Herodotus
To prepare is simply to anticipate. It means you do the hard work before the hard times arrive.
In his 2007 annual letter, renowned credit investor, Howard Marks, hints at the impending disaster of the 2008 credit crisis:
“It is what it is. We’ve been living in optimistic times. The cycle has been swinging strongly upward. Prices are elevated and risk premiums are slender. Trust has replaced skepticism, and eagerness has replaced reticence. Do you agree or disagree? That’s the key question. Answer it first, and the implications for investing become clear.”
Think about it. The year was 2007, almost a full year before the credit meltdown. Not many were prepared, but Oaktree and Marks were thinking about what was to come.
The future is uncertain. Yet my willingness to prepare is not.
For your team and your work, what can you do today to prepare?
What are you doing to make yourself stronger – physically, mentally, spiritually?
What will you do if a storm comes up?
The options are limitless.
If you work as part of the OAC (owner, architect, contractor) teams on a development, how can you anticipate what the other members of the team need?
How can you proactively communicate your wins and challenges to the team?
What are you doing to prepare for the known risks so you have the space, the time, and the strength to overcome the unknown risks?
If you want some ideas on how you can prepare with a warrior’s mind, hit reply and let me know what you are struggling with.
Seriously, I read every email.
The Real Con 012