Josh Waitzkin

Josh Waitzkin is a chess prodigy, martial arts competitor, author, and entrepreneur known for his diverse expertise in multiple disciplines. Born in New York City, he gained early fame as a chess player, becoming a national chess champion at a young age. His journey to success in the chess world was depicted in the film "Searching for Bobby Fischer," which was based on a book written by his father, Fred Waitzkin. By the age of 11, Waitzkin had won the U.S. Junior Chess Championship and was widely recognized as one of America's top young talents.

After his early success in chess, Waitzkin transitioned to martial arts, achieving high accolades in Tai Chi Chuan and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He became a push hands world champion in Tai Chi Chuan, demonstrating his adaptability and dedication to mastering new fields of competition. Waitzkin’s ability to excel in multiple areas is a testament to his mindset and approach to learning, which he shares in his 2007 book "The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance." The book explores how the skills developed in one domain can transfer to others, and it has been influential among professionals in various fields.

Since then, Waitzkin uses the lessons of his training to guide elite performers of business, athletics, and social impact on their own journeys to self expression. His approach generates a way of life that helps performers understand their conceptual schemes, evaluate the underlying assumptions and dependencies, and embrace their dynamic flux. By releasing static patterns, performers can make astonishing creative leaps, while the technical foundation becomes intuitive and visceral.

These ways of living and training were born in various arenas of competition—both mental and physical—and have been proven in sweat and blood, not words. Waitzkin’s journey through seemingly disparate arts helped him cultivate these principles and continues to give life to new ones.