Not so seriously, I'm trying to think how playing defense wins championships without looking it up with additional information on what it really means.
I just heard the saying again and this time around my mind was quick to point out playing defense makes it hard to score goals so how are championships won that way?
I don't know, it may have to do with surviving long enough to have the opportunity to go on the offensive with minimal risk/exposure on the defensive. But that's less of a strategic approach and more of preservation, which in some contexts is enough to win the game, i.e the championship is determined by who's still standing when the moment that actually determines the outcome arrives.
There are individuals who are wired to play offensive right from the start. I'm not one of them. Know a few friends who do and I can always sense this restless energy to be done with whatever the task at hand is as quickly as possible.
These are sometimes the type of people who are also quick witted and easily grasp the basics of things, so the restlessness may not be a difficult thing to endure if it's channeled into that rapid resolution they crave.
The downside is going hard on offense from the start exposes you, unintentionally or not, you're committing resources, revealing your hand, creating vulnerabilities.
Offensive plays usually win faster when conditions are right. They flame out spectacularly when they're not.
The stereotype of playing defense right from the start is one of wisdom-like, calm and reserved. I know something that you don't and I'm biding my time to make a move when the right moment emerges. This could really be pattern recognition plus emotional regulation, i.e having seen enough cycles to know better.
Especially in sports, I don't notice much of this emphasis on defensive play, maybe the entertainment aspect overrules the strategic reality, or maybe I just don't pay much attention to it.
In investing though, this dynamic is ever present, hard to miss in this day and age of social media performance theater.
Across both cycles of bear and bull, being the defensive player isn't exciting. Holding cash when everyone else is euphoric or maintaining discipline through volatility while others claim they're buying the dip.
Obviously on the other hand, the player who protected capital has ammunition when assets are really cheap and everyone else is tapped out or liquidated at the worst prices.
The "win" here is being positioned to capture opportunity when it emerges from chaos. And I think it's quite limiting to describe people as offensive or defensive player as this is usually a strategy that they use within a specific timeframe. That's how it makes sense to me, in terms of separating the identity from mode of operation.
Also, I can see how optionality is woven through all of this. Defense wins championships takes the approach of not losing instead of trying to win, having the option to keep playing.
Thanks for reading!! Share your thoughts below on the comments.
