I’m a major MMA fanboy, as well as a lifelong practitioner of combat sports. As a kid in the 80’s, karate and ninjitsu were in vogue. So was boxing, thanks to Mike Tyson. In the 90s, Brazillian Jiu Jitsu came into popularity after a skinny guy named Royce dominated much larger opponents with his then secret style. In the 00s, MMA became the combat sport of choice thanks to the UFC’s surging popularity…whatever MMA is. But MMA was the first time that practitioners truly embraced a multi-disciplinary approach. To continue being one-dimensional was a recipe for a dangerous beatdown.
Business is a lot like this. Especially with so many new ideas and practices popping up, you need to keep up and continue learning and growing. What worked for you in the 80s or 90s isn’t necessarily relevant today. It’s the equivalent of an 80’s karate guy trying to kick ass in the UFC using only crane kicks and karate chops. The guy would be murdered.
However, I see plenty of businessmen who believe that just because they had success in the last century with certain techniques, that somehow they’re well equipped to apply those same techniques and succeed today. Total nonsense. Continue evolving your business fighting style.