Personal Principles

Aug 2010

  1. Simple and light.
  2. Have a PACE for everything.
  3. Make it asymmetrical, stack advantages.
  4. Act, don't react.
  5. Target dictates the weapon and the weapon dictates the movement.

These are principles that have helped me across a variety of activities: war, alpine climbing, work, red teaming, hard times... I tried to simplify the concepts as much as I could, focusing on things that can be applied together.

1. SIMPLE AND LIGHT

Keep everything simple. Simple things are easy to change when you need to. Simple plans will adapt better to the ever-changing conditions in the field. Simple things are easy to understand and explain, especially under stress. I also believe in being nimble. Being light allows you to move faster, more fluently. Being light allows you to be more efficient.

2. HAVE A PACE FOR EVERYTHING

PACE: Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency. A military way of building a communication plan. However it can be applied to all planning and preparation. It's about having a Plan B, but also understanding that everything will eventually fail. Have contingencies and an escape plan. Be ready for the worst. When it happens, you'll know what to do.

3. MAKE IT ASYMMETRICAL, STACK ADVANTAGES

It's not what you do, it's when and how you do it. It's making sure the odds are in your favor. If you want to be successful you have to make it happen. Fight with small team tactics, a guerrilla. Make things stack in your favor. Then execute.

4. ACT, DON'T REACT

Don't wait for things to happen, be proactive. Go for it and be ready. It's too late if you have to react after something happened. Red team it. Plan 2-3 steps ahead, and make it asymmetrical!

5. TARGET DICTATES THE WEAPON AND THE WEAPON DICTATES THE MOVEMENT

Don’t get stuck on a particular technique, method, tool, or even the planning process. Once you know your objective, you can choose the right tool or technique to achieve it - whether that's working with something, assessing it, defusing it, or building that something. Once you've identified the right approach, you’ll understand how to move toward your target. In short, don't get locked into one method or tool. Adapt based on the goal, focus on finding the best approach to achieve it, and then you can plan your actions accordingly.
(Note: this principle was taught to me by Richard "Mack" Machowicz, one of the most interesting people I've met. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us. Thank you for all Mack!)