deerstalker
Maurice Ashley came to the United States from Jamaica when he was 12 years old. After arriving, he took to the game of chess.
As he grew older, it became a larger and larger part of his life. This led to him becoming the first (and only!) black chess grandmaster. He spends a lot of time helping young people understand and play the game, translating it to various aspects of their regular lives.
How is chess like life, you ask? (Or maybe you didn’t…) Anyway, here are some answers:
Quotes: Fischer, Marsalis, Lasker, Tartakower.
And consider season 1, episode 3 of “The Wire,” in a classic scene where D’Angelo teaches chess pieces and moves to Bodie and Wallace, relating the game to their life experiences:
But chess can also reveal our humanity.
In the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer,” there’s a scene where the young chess prodigy Josh has beat several opponents in a tournament, leading up to his strongest competitor, who comes across as kind of robotic and unbeatable. Winning this tournament and the accompanying title is a big deal.
Eventually, when Josh sees that he will win the game after considering the moves laid out 12 deep in front of him (because you have to think many moves ahead in this game), he extends his hand to his opponent. He’s offering to share the win, and the title, with his competitor. It’s a selfless gesture, and one that shows who Josh really is as a human being. His opponent refuses, then very quickly loses the game and runs off in shame.
Josh runs off smiling into the arms of his parents.
It’s a fabulous movie, by the way. Check it out some time. GIF from “Searching for Bobby Fischer.” Full clip is here.
Back to our intrepid hero, Maurice.
He coached several teams of chess players in Harlem, including national champions The Raging Rooks and The Dark Knights. He also founded the Harlem Chess Center in 1999. He’s the author of several books and is now working as a joint fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman Center and MIT’s Media Lab to bring chess and other classic games to a wider audience.
“It can take 40 good moves to win this game, and one wrong move to lose.”
Maurice Ashley
Kinda like life, eh?
As a fitness enthusiast, Tony Wells knows what it takes to maintain an optimum workout routine.
As a fitness executive, he’s developed a formula to help drive business. Having joined 24 Hour Fitness just over four years ago as vice president of brand marketing, he has since been promoted to executive vice president and chief marketing officer.
Wells, who was groomed in public relations as a Marine, has worked as a marketer for companies that include Nissan, General Motors, and Visa—experiences that helped him arrive at a basic philosophy: “Know my job; know my people; know myself. When you put those things together, you always have an opportunity to succeed.”
And 24 Hour Fitness has enjoyed significant successes with Wells and the company’s executive team such as certification for 400 clubs; member-satisfaction surveys through J.D. Power and Associates; sponsorship of The Biggest Loser and the U.S. Olympic Committee; and raising its Better Business Bureau rating from F to A+. Here he demonstrates how he works it all out, in and out of the gym:
Workout schedule:
Three times a week, mainly through cardio and resistance training—30 minutes of heart activity and weightlifting to develop a strong core and build muscles. “I have a great trainer who helps with accountability and motivation.”
Because of injuries to his knee and rotator cuff, his trainer has guided him in strengthening and stabilizing muscle groups in those areas. “I’m also fortunate that most of my travels take me to one of our fitness clubs.”
Favorite training equipment:
TRX Suspension Training uses your body weight to engage muscles. “It was developed by the SEALs and is very helpful in working out without putting stress on your knees.” The adaptive motion trainer, or AMT, offers a combination of treadmill and elliptical.
Favorite footwear:
Nike Free, [1] a model he has worn for the last four years. “It’s a very lightweight training shoe that’s also easy to travel with.”
Favorite athletic wear:
The brand Jordan for shorts and Lululemon (www.lululemon.com) for shirts. “[Jordan is] a really well-designed product that lasts.” For him, both brands are comfortable and durable.
Favorite destination for personal travel:
“I’m a big fan of New York City—the energy, the culture, the shows, nightlife, the restaurants. I love live entertainment, culture, and sports.” It’s also why he loves Paris, [3] a city that offers a broad range of cultural activities and showcases.
Favorite city for business:
Los Angeles. [2] “Southern California is one of the largest markets with more than 80 clubs.”
Favorite leisure activity:
“I’m a huge movie buff. I’ve actually gone on a Saturday and seen three movies back to back. I am also a big fan of live entertainment. Also, anytime I can admire people who have artistic talent, I love to do it.”
Favorite technology for business:
“The iPad. It’s an amazing product. FaceTime allows me to talk to my kids, who have iPhones. I can do live videoconferencing with them.”
[This Part One of BE’s Cigna Wellness in the Workplace weekend series on improving your health and staying well at work]