Where to start? Many of us think we need to start with an explanation of who we are, what we do, and why we might be here at this moment. Let’s pause for a moment, and think about this the way a true warrior would. When we first meet, and want to start communicating, presenting, questioning, or whatever it is you want to start on about, what is the most important thing? Let’s assume that you are liked and welcomed at this point. Now is the time to start … but where? Is it with who you are? Is it with your credentials? Is it with what you have done for others? Is it with what you can do for them? Or is it with an acknowledgement of their pain? Can you summarize, or identify with their problems or challenges? The true warrior thinks that it is best to start with the pain.

When he comes across a village that has become plagued by a flying, fire-breathing dragon, he starts with an acknowledgement of this fact! “People of this village, you are being hunted, maimed, and roasted alive by a fire-breathing dragon!” He or she might then pause and ask them if that is their worst problem. Someone in the crowd might shout out that there is not one but two dragons, and that yes, that is the worst of their problems … and when asked, they say that they would like to do something about it. This is good, as the true warrior knows that until and unless the villagers recognize and admit their problem, there is no point in explaining who he or she is, from whence they have come, or what their skills are … because none of that is relevant until it is expressed in the context of the problem. The true warrior needs to know all about the problem first, otherwise he may find himself or herself on the receiving end of a sales pitch from the villagers, who are likely to be less than forthcoming about the true nature of their problem, for many, many reasons.

Many times, when we start, we bore our audience and risk putting them to sleep before getting to the meat of the issue. The true warrior knows that meat can spoil quickly, so he or she gets right to it at the very beginning. They start with the meat, and get to the utensils as soon as it’s decided that the meat will be consumed. Anything else is waste. Let’s pretend that the utensils are not quite what we had in mind for this dish. It would have been a shame to start with a presentation of the utensils, and then get into an argument about their suitability before we had even decided about eating—or even knew that there was meat to be had. Once we know about the meat, we are less likely to spend much time criticizing the utensils. So the true warrior uses this as his guide for starting. The true warrior starts with the conclusion and ends with the introduction!

You are warriors, and by thinking like a true warrior, you will realize that the best place to start is with the biggest issue or problem. Explore that first. By starting there, you will be able to focus on the reality of the situation, and if you can help, you will be able to present that in the context of the true situation. If you cannot help, then you will say so … and all that stuff about who you are and where you come from can remain unsaid. This way, less waste is experienced all around. By reducing waste, you will win big. So it has be written and written again and again.