Greene in this chapter discusses not settling or leaning on past successes or methods to successes. He refers to it has guerilla war on your own mind “allowing no static lines of defense.” The first story that Greene uses is Napoleon versus the Prussians. Where the Prussian army, particularly Friedrich Ludwig, prince of Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen, demonstrates this point. Green tells the story of Hohenlohe, who comes from a military background. His philosophy of war was the use of organization, discipline, and strategy, and this would be the key to defeating Napoleon. They decided to use a strategy which had worked for Prussians for decades. Long story short Napoleon had figured out what they Prussian army was doing, and using a new method of marching (French soldiers carrying their packs of supplies allowing them to move faster) and ended catching Hohenlohe earlier than desired, forcing the fight to take place. At this particular battle the Prussian army attacked the French in glorious, perfect, straight line formation (like they had always) whereas the French hid in strategic location (behind walls and etc…) and just picked the Prussians apart. The Prussians fell apart. The point Greene is making is the Prussians were behind the French in military strategy, and the bigger picture is that you cannot rest on the successes of old, you have to keep pushing you self and looking at what you do with a realistic perspective.
Greene’s second story comes from a story of a samurai named Miyamoto Musashi (BY the way this story was great, I had never heard this and I want to read the book I am assuming it came from The Book of Five Rings). The story is of Musashi fighting three different opponents I duels (with swords). In each duel, Musashi comes out being successful, because of his understanding his opponent and presenting them with a challenge in combat, based upon their weakness. He adapted his style to his opponent and situations, as Greene points out. Greene states, “Strategy is not a question of learning a series of moves or ideas to follow like a recipe; victory has no magic formula. Ideas are merely nutrients for the soil: they lie in your brain as possibilities, so that in the heat of the moment they can inspire a direction, an appropriate and creative response>” Greene’s point is simply do not collect a bunch of ideas and read a bunch books and expect them to all of sudden allow you to become successful. You have to be able to use these in the heat of battle, in a manner that best fits the circumstance.
Greene goes into his keys to warfare centers on the approach that we are not attuned to our circumstances. That we are not unsuccessful because we do not know enough, but because we do not know how to use what we know at the right time. A great point the Greene also makes here is that it is of utmost importance to develop the skill to think in the moment.
Greene goes on to discuss a process on how to wage war with the mind by first creating the analogy of the river. That your mind is like a river, and the faster it flows the better. Whereas if it stops, problems develop. To avoid this Greene discuss the following points:
1. “Reexamine all your cherished beliefs and principles”
a. “Be brutal with the past, with tradition, with the old ways of doing things.”
b. When a new situation arrives, look it at as if you have never done so before.
2. “Erase the memory of the last war”
a. “Attention to detail of the present is by far the best way to crowd out the past and forget the last war.”
3. “Keeps the mind moving?”
4. “Absorb the spirit of the times”
a. “Just when people feel they know you, you will change.”
5. “Reverse course.”
a. Do the opposite of what you normally would, break your norm.
Greene makes the point to think of you mind as an army, specifically a guerilla army. Because a guerilla army is the epitome of mobility and speed. Do not become static.
Coaches can use this concept every week in their game planning and really their yearly planning. Think about it, we have to always forget the last war, the last game. No matter the outcome or success/failures of that game, we have to erase the memory of that last war and keep our minds moving. We have to always be looking at what we are doing. Every aspect of it. We cannot settle or assume that what worked last time is going to work this time. For example if we were a strong power/counter team for the past two seasons, blocking it the same way, with the same formations, the same motions, we have to think about it and at least review what teams have done against us. If we think teams are not going to adjust than we are FOOLS!!! AND they should fire us.
In my opinion though this isn’t even the half of it. You have to constantly evaluate yourself and your players. You may not have the players to run the power/counter all year or this year. Now obviously there is more to it than just a play or scheme. It is the entire program that you cannot be just satisfied with. The same drills, the same practice structure, morale boosters, etc… I heard a radio broadcaster make the comment one day when he was talking about a professional football franchise, that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I think this fits perfectly right here. We have to as coaches constantly being looking at what is happening without programs and be WILLING to make changes.
Now I know the counter to this. “If ain’t broke…blah blah blah blah…” But think about that for a second. NO program has been successful with doing everything exactly the same every season. You may get away with it for a season or two, but over the long, sustained success is not going to be there. I also understand that you don’t need to change just to change. Don’t make things up because they looked good when the Gators ran it or it was a sweet play in Madden. Every choice or change you make has to fit into your program. You can’t arbitrarily make changes. Think and explore what you are doing. Constantly self examine and be sure that everything you do is, it is benefiting the program.
Here is the interview Robert greene had about his 33 strategies of war http://robertgreene.net/Robert_Greene_The_33_Strategies_of_War.html with an abridged version of his book too
Thanks, good stuff!