It is actually good business practice for a busy entrepreneur to take some time, ideally every day, to relax and do something that has nothing to do with business.

The paradox is that you often find that such activity gives a new angle on business.

For example, your contributor recently escaped the recession for a few hours by reading a history of British Frigate Captains of the Napoleonic Wars. Many of the fictional exploits of the likes of Jack Aubrey, Horatio Hornblower, & co are actually based on real historical events. Indeed the facts are often so incredible that no novelist would dare to make them up.

More to the point, naval officers of this period were also businessmen: they were entitled to a substantial share of the value of the ships they captured, and the most successful became very wealthy indeed.  

The reasons for their success are just as valid today.

1   Audacity. A Frigate Captain accepted that attacking an enemy ship that was nominally stronger was the path to fame and fortune. Far from avoiding superior foes, he would seek them out.  An entrepreneur achieves extraordinary rewards because he takes extraordinary risks. His willingness to do what most people would not do is what sets him apart.

2   Planning. Small boarding parties often captured ships with much larger crews – because they were briefed thoroughly beforehand: every man among the attackers knew exactly what he was supposed to be doing while there was confusion among the defenders. The same is true in the marketplace: success depends on knowing what is going on and being prepared for it.

3   Technology. Better technology can give a big competitive advantage, but is not necessarily the decisive factor. It all depends on how you use it. The British made better guns but the French actually made better ships - so the British used their guns to acquire as many French ships as they could.

4   Professionalism. Most British Captains were experienced sailors who trained their crews rigorously, so that, when it came to combat, their handling of their ships and their guns was superior to their opponents’. Their hard work in preparing for battle meant that they won their battles before they fought. In business, there is simply no substitute for training and practice. You will make money if you are good at whatever it is you do.

(However, we need to add a caveat: in this over-credentialed world it is still necessary to have an underlying talent. It is quite possible to get a qualification for something you are no good at. So, though training is a great plus, training without underlying talent is just a waste of time and money.)

5   Initiative. Victory usually goes to the side that seizes and maintains the initiative. In particular, fighting seamen put a high premium on having the wind on their side, so that they can choose when and where to attack. In the same way, those who wait for opportunity to come knocking will wait in vain. Success belongs to those who choose the right moment – and seize it.