As the son of an Air Force Colonel who spent the entirety of my childhood growing up on military installations and with military people, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that I look at war as a fitting metaphor for both life and business. The main difference between war and life being that wars are generally campaigns fought with definite beginnings and endings, and life being one continuous “battle.”

The longest battle in modern history was the Battle of Verdun, fought between the Germans and French during World War I, from Feb 21, 1916 – Dec 18, 1916. In this one singular battle, the Germans lost 143,000 men and the French lost 162,000. There were over 300,000 additional casualties in this battle that didn’t result in death.

Think about that…over a period of 10 months, over 600,000 people were injured or killed in this one single battle. While that number is astounding, consider a few more facts:

• The battle was designed by the German army to be a “meat grinder” from the very beginning. There was no particular goal other than to wear the French down.
• Nine villages were completely wiped off the face of the earth during this battle. All that remains to this day are a few signs designating that the towns used to exist.
• The French relied on ONE ROAD to supply the entire battle. The road was later renamed “La Voie Sacrée” (“the Sacred Way”) to commemorate its contribution to the effort.
• The French are widely considered to eventually have WON the battle of Verdun by simply outlasting the Germans. This allowed the British to launch an assault on the Somme river, which redirected the Germans attention from Verdun. Massive additional casualties were inflicted on the Germans at the Somme, causing some to say that it was “the defining moment for allied victory”

While it is accepted that the Germans lost the Battle of Verdun, the reasons behind the loss have been argued about amongst historians and strategists for over 100 years. Some attribute the loss to the hubris of the German leadership, while others point to poor planning and disorganization, and still others unpopularly suggest that the German army just wasn’t strong enough for the task at hand.

From the French side, they point to the courage of the troops to stand their ground under the most extreme of circumstances, the ability of the French commanders to rapidly change course and try new strategies, or the selflessness of the French soldiers and their desire to save their comrades.

So what does this have to do with business?

The author Robert Green (The 48 Laws of Power, Mastery, The Art of Seduction) is fond of saying, “As in War, So In Life.” I have come to find my own version of this maxim to be, “as in life, so in business.” To that end, I often spend time with my small business and entrepreneur clients discussing the attributes necessary to “win the war” vs. the attributes that “lose the war,” in relation to their business (and life) endeavors. I believe that making this distinction, and choosing the winner’s path whenever possible, is key to sustaining entrepreneurial success and fulfillment.

Here are the 6 distinctions between winners and losers behaviors that I think are most important for entrepreneurs to consider:

Courage vs. Cowardice

Often, the right thing to do isn’t the easy thing to do. We see this in our everyday interactions with our peers, as well as in nearly every area of business. Courage is the ability to be fearful, yet still make strong decisions knowing that the outcome isn’t guaranteed. Cowardice is a trait wherein fear and excessive self-concern override doing or saying what is right, good, and of help to others or oneself in a time of need. The ability to be courageous in the face of our fears is a defining characteristic of success.

Fortitude vs. Resignation

Like courage, fortitude is required by the business owner, especially in times of uncertainty. But fortitude is the application of courage over a long period of time. Too often entrepreneurs give up TOO SOON, often right before a breakthrough. Fortitude is the act of sustaining effort, throughout failure, over time. Resignation is the acceptance of failure as inevitable . In his book, The Dip, Seth Godin explains that the secret to pushing through extended periods of strife (i.e., fortitude) is using “strategic quitting” to get focused on the things that matter most and to eliminate those things that don’t. This fortitude “hack” can help even the most mired-in entrepreneur press through the hard spots and achieve success.

Discipline vs. Negligence

As I’ve mentioned many times in this newsletter and other places, willpower seems to be finite. That is to say that the sheer command to ourselves to “just do it” often isn’t enough. We must activate discipline to consistently and systematically do the difficult things in order to have success. When you have discipline, you have self-control. Negligence is the pure lack of self control; the inability, or, perhaps more accurately, disinterest, in doing the things that we know will propel us forward in a consistent way over time.

Sacrifice vs. Greed

Sacrifice is the act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy. Greed is a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (such as money) than is needed. Often times, as entrepreneurs, we become attracted to the idea of “having it all,” and we make decisions based purely on the idea that having MORE is good. The wise entrepreneur knows that they should constantly be pruning and simplifying their business to focus on things that most help them accomplish their goals. The trick isn’t adding stuff, it’s taking away.

Temperance vs. Agitation

Overreaction has been the death knell of many entrepreneurs’ dreams. Temperance is the act of allowing upsets to occur without the need to forcefully react in an immediate fashion. The temperate entrepreneur knows that most challenges are not what they seem at first blush, and that to moderate their immediate response puts them in a better position to move strongly at a later time. The agitated entrepreneur makes hasty decisions without considering the longer term consequences of their actions, thus unknowingly placing themselves in peril.

Confidence vs. Self-Doubt

“You are Worthy” is a phrase I find myself repeating to my clients over and over again. The isolation and uncertainty of entrepreneurship often makes it difficult for the entrepreneur to judge if their actions are right or wrong. The confident entrepreneur builds a faith or belief that they will act in a right, proper, or effective way, and moves directly toward these actions. The lack of confidence in one’s self or abilities drives habits that keep the entrepreneur stuck in “safe mode” and unable to make the big moves that are required for sustained success. Driving out this self-doubt is a key indicator for success.