When I was heavy into Jeet Kune Do (Bruce Lee’s martial art, dubbed “Scientific Streetfighting” in some circles) my instructor was one of those multiple black belt badasses who trained Navy Seals and Special Forces Units.
One of the most intriguing lessons he taught us was to be sensitive to “The 4 Phases”.
Here’s what I mean.
When he was training Special Forces Units and other highly disciplined tactical teams, he would teach his teams (and in turn, us) about 4 particular phases of awareness.
The first phase is the white phase.
Most civilians are in this white phase because they’ve been trained their whole lives never to expect an incoming air raid, random explosions, or violent hand to hand combat.
They are like zombies, and schlep around in a permanent fog.
The white phase is where 98% of people are at, and where most business people are at, too.
The second phase is the yellow phase, which constitutes awareness.
This is the phase where you are aware of your surroundings at all times.
My instructor would tell us that the first thing you did when entering into new terrain was to feel the floor beneath you.
Was it firm? Slippery? Would you easily lose your footing if you pivoted hard or had to get into a violent altercation?
Second, what was the atmosphere like? Is the bar full of drunk, belligerent bikers, just itching for a fight?
Is the bar filled with nice, quiet college kids?
Why is that guy in the black trenchcoat acting so fidgety?
Do you know how many people are seated at the table behind you?
These are all the questions that someone in the yellow phase asks themselves.
The third phase is the red phase.
And the red phase constitutes HYPER sensitivity.
A random guy just called your girlfriend a nasty name. You tense up.
A guy suddenly pours his drink on you and gets in your face. You tense up.
A guy shoves you in the chest and makes menacing movements towards you. You tense up.
Your fight or flight mechanism has been triggered.
And finally, there is the black phase.
The black phase means that the gloves have come off, it’s no holds barred, and you can’t even see straight.
You have resorted to your most basic of instincts, and you’ll deal with the consequences when the human side of you comes back.
Interesting huh?
Even more interesting is that John Carlton talked about the exact same 4 phases this past weekend… but for marketing and copywriting purposes.
He mentioned that the ideal state to be in is the yellow state, because you are in a state of “receptive intelligence” - and that’s what it takes to be aware of the stories (and opportunities) that are going on all around you, all the time.
If you are under a deadline, you may have to resort to the red or black phases.
But the sad thing is, most people, most marketers even, are always in the white.
And that’s why, in the stone cold world of business, when push comes to shove, these marketers will get their lunches handed to them by the marketers who live in the higher phases of awareness.
Time to wake up.
-James D. Lee
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