Skip to main content

The Dual Games of Business Success: Checkers and Chess

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another episode of Spencer Uncensored. This is episode 80, a milestone in our journey of uncovering unshakable secrets that help business owners boost their momentum and build mastery. My name is Spencer Combs, and I firmly believe that professional development always follows personal development. After all, businesses don’t grow; people do. That’s why we’re here tonight, answering the question: What does it take to move your business and life forward?
​
In this episode, we dive into the heart of the Unshakable Framework, which is essentially two frameworks in one. We have the momentum side, which encompasses the Drift to Drive framework—how to get people to take action, tap into the four factors of drive, and consistently move forward. On the other side, we have mastery. Previously, I called it maintenance, but it's really about mastery—building systems, creating processes, and ensuring consistency over time. You need both momentum and mastery to achieve long-term success.
​The Dual Games: Checkers and Chess

Think of your business journey as playing two simultaneous games: checkers and chess. In the startup phase, you're playing checkers—focusing on cash flow, sales, and pushing for consistent revenue. This is crucial because without a steady cash flow, your business won't survive.

However, you also need to play chess—the long game. This involves strategic planning, content creation, and building programs that will pay off in the future. For example, I recently lined up a speaking engagement for a manager's meeting at a chain of trampoline parks and a real estate event next fall. These are chess moves, setting up long-term success.

But remember, you can't neglect the checkers game. You still need to make phone calls, close sales, and keep the revenue flowing. It's a balance between immediate needs and future goals. Many business owners struggle because they try to play chess without first mastering checkers, thinking they’re above the foundational tasks. But you can't skip steps.
The Good-Fast-Cheap TriangleHere's a concept that has stuck with me since 2004: Good, Fast, Cheap—you can only have two at the expense of the third.
  • Good and Fast won't be Cheap.
  • Fast and Cheap won't be Good.
  • Good and Cheap won't be Fast.

Apply this to your business strategy. Focus on what you can realistically achieve and prioritize accordingly.

Updates and Upcoming Events
  1. Unshakable Weekend Event: From August 23-25 in Columbia, South Carolina, this event is designed to take you away from your daily life and focus on your goals. We'll dive deep into the momentum factors, create breakthrough experiences, and map out plans for both mindset and mechanics. Early bird pricing is available, so visit spencercombs.com/uwe for more details.
  2. Momentum and Mastery Book: Progress is underway, and I'm aiming to have the Kindle version ready by early August. Those who pre-order will get the eBook free. Keep an eye on spencercombs.com for updates.
  3. Web Classes: Make sure you're registered for our upcoming web classes at spencercombs.com. We’ve got some great content lined up to help you accelerate your business growth.

Final Thoughts:
You need to master both checkers and chess to succeed in business. Focus on immediate sales and cash flow while strategically planning for the future. Remember, big problems only happen to little people—those who haven't yet developed the emotional mastery to handle larger challenges.

If you're not already on my daily text list, text your name to 904-299-1877 to receive daily nuggets of wisdom five days a week.

That’s all for tonight. I hope this episode of Spencer Uncensored was insightful and actionable. Have a fantastic day and keep moving forward!

About Spencer Combs:

Spencer Combs is a business leader and author of Momentum and Mastery: The Business Leader's Guide to Fastrack Unshakeable Profit, Productivity, and Purpose. With a passion for helping others transform their challenges into opportunities, Spencer offers unique insights through his events, coaching programs, and daily text messages.


Take the Next Step:


Connect with Spencer: www.spencercombs.com/social 


Contact Us: info@spencercombs.com 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Here's what others like you are reading:

The Freedom of the Un-Goal

The calendar is almost done. And you know what that means. The 'Should' monsters are waking up. They are the goals, the projects, the expectations you carry around that don't actually belong to you. You should launch that huge, complex product. You should be on that social platform where all your competitors are making noise. You should chase that client segment that is exhausting and doesn't pay. These "shoulds" are anchors. They drain your emotional capital, clutter your WRAP Sheet , and steal the energy you need to execute on the real high-leverage assets. Most people treat the New Year like a blank canvas, which they immediately fill with complex, obligation-driven goals. They mistake activity for momentum. Momentum is not the result of doing more. It is the result of eliminating friction. If a goal, a project, or a relationship is causing constant drag—if it costs you three units of energy to gain one unit of result—it is not a goal. It is a tax o...
Post a Comment
Read more

50 Cent, Government Cheese, and the Science of the Qualified Champion

The "Gangster" Paradox: Why Autonomy is the Ultimate Un-Goal The word "gangster" carries a lot of baggage. For most, it conjures images of the street, the hustle, or the headlines. But in his recent Esquire sit-down, 50 Cent stripped away the theater and gave us a definition that belongs on every entrepreneur’s whiteboard: "To me, gangster means to live the way you like without answering to anyone." Read that again. He’s not talking about crime; he’s talking about agency . He’s talking about the " Un-Goal ." The "Should" Monster vs. The Un-Goal In my work with the WRAP Sheet and Momentum & Mastery , we talk constantly about the " Should Monsters ." These are the invisible anchors—the projects you took on because a competitor did, the clients you tolerate because you’re afraid of the gap in your calendar, and the "hustle" habits that steal your emotional capital. Most people spend their entire careers building ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Price of Proximity

 You are, scientifically, the average. The average of the conversations you have, the risk you tolerate, the ambition you witness, and the excuses you hear. We often think environment means our desk, our city, or our office. It doesn't. Environment means the people you let into your space. A donkey and a thoroughbred cannot share a paddock without changing the expectations of the space. The thoroughbred demands speed, training, and peak performance. The donkey demands ease, grazing, and comfort. You can't be both. If you are the fastest, smartest, or most ambitious person in the room, you are in the wrong room. You are not being coached; you are coaching. You are not being challenged; you are being averaged down. The work is not just what you do, but who you do it with. Find the catalytic energy. Find the person, or the small group, whose mere presence makes your goals seem not just possible, but inevitable. They are your pace car. They are the standard. They are the fire you...
Post a Comment
Read more