Lessons from the Mat: The 12 Martial Arts Principles That Will Help You Succeed in Business and in Life

5 Star Review

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Editorial Book Review:

By Walter Miller

Lessons from the Mat distinguishes itself by translating enduring martial arts principles into a highly practical manual for managing business, leadership, and daily obstacles. Benjamin Chen and Scott Burr provide clarity and insight to concepts that many individuals perceive intuitively but seldom express with such precision. From the initial chapter, the book immerses you in a realm where discipline transforms into inspiration, contrition becomes a source of empowerment, and resilience is presented as a skill that can be refined rather than an innate characteristic to be merely possessed.

Reading this book feels like having two wise mentors in your corner. The tone is composed, yet invigorating; reflective, yet readily applicable. It encourages reflection without slowing momentum. The authors create an experience that blends mental focus, emotional steadiness, and personal accountability. You walk away feeling both steadier and more motivated, as if you have real tools for handling high pressure moments and long term goals.

At its core, the book explores themes of mastery, intentional action, respect, presence, and perseverance. These ideas resonate far beyond martial arts because they apply to negotiations, team dynamics, strategic decisions, and relationships. What makes the themes universal is the way the authors show that personal growth and professional achievement are not separate pursuits but reflections of the same internal habits.

Chen and Burr write with concise prose, compelling narrative, and vivid imagery that vividly brings the dojo to life. Their use of real world examples allows the twelve principles to land with clarity. A standout moment describes a student learning that true strength begins when the ego steps aside, a lesson that shapes the emotional tone of the entire book.

If there is any limitation, it might be that readers new to martial arts may need a moment to adjust to some terminology, though the authors consistently offer enough context to keep every concept accessible.

Lessons from the Mat ultimately succeeds because it is both philosophical and actionable, reflective and energizing. It reminds readers that success is not an accident but a practice. Anyone looking to lead better, work smarter, or live with greater intention will find this book worth returning to again and again.

About the Author 

Benjamin Chen

Benjamin Chen is a seasoned business leader, investor, and mentor with decades of experience building high-performance teams and guiding companies to success across industries including consumer electronics, lighting, wireless controls, online marketing, enterprise software, networking, and cloud computing. He has helped raise significant investment capital, brought hundreds of products to market, and played a key role in guiding multiple companies to go public in the U.S.

His leadership track record spans from founding and scaling venture-backed startups—such as AppGenesys and Mochila—to serving as SVP and General Manager of RAB Lighting, where he oversaw one of the most ambitious electrical product launches in U.S. history. Benjamin’s expertise includes business plan validation, product development, supply chain management, venture capital, and strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 brands.

An early pioneer in bringing television content to the internet, he has collaborated with global names like Sony, Walt Disney, Toyota, Yahoo, Best Buy, Verizon, and Mercedes-Benz. He has also served as an external entrepreneur-in-residence for JP Morgan and Mission Ventures, and as a board member for multiple public and private companies.

Beyond business, Benjamin is a lifelong martial artist with black belts in Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, having trained with world-renowned instructors including Master Rickson Gracie. He teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Freedom Jiu-Jitsu in Carlsbad, California, and lives on a small Plumeria farm in San Diego with his family.

About the Author 

Scott Burr

Scott Burr is a novelist, essayist, memoirist, short story writer, martial artist, trainer, and teacher. He is the author of the novels Bummed Out City and We Will Rid the World of You, the short story collection We Drove Out to the Desert, the training manuals Get a Grip and Suspend Your Disbelief, and the martial arts, mindset, and fitness training essay collection Superhero Simplified: Collected, Selected, Revised and Expanded. He is the co-author of Richard Bresler's memoir of his time with the Gracie family, Worth Defending: How Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Saved My Life, Blood in the Water: America's Assault on Innovation, Kip Azzoni Doyle's genre-defying memoir / expose about corruption in the U.S. patent system, and Confessions of a Hollywood Trainer, John Petrelli's memoir of his over thirty year career as a trainer to the stars. His nonfiction work has appeared in Climbing and Urban Climber magazines; his short stories and novel excerpts have appeared in Metonym, Mildred, the Decades Review, and elsewhere. 

Scott is a graduate of the creative writing program at The Colorado College, where he won the Ebey Prize for novella-length fiction and was a finalist for the Reville Prize in short fiction. He was the 2006 winner of the Geauga Park District Foundation Nature Writing Contest and a finalist for the Gordon Square Review's inaugural contest for Northeast Ohio writers (2017). His first novel, Bummed Out City, was one of Library Journal's most-read books for 2015.

A long-time martial artist, Scott holds black belt rank in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Kodokan Judo, and the Korean art of Kuk Sul Do. He is a certified pro fitness trainer under legendary strength & conditioning coach Steve Maxwell, and holds additional MaxwellSC certifications in kettlebell (levels 1 and 2) and bodyweight (levels 1 and 2) training. He has traveled internationally with Steve assisting in seminars on everything from kettlebell training to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to breathwork to joint mobility. 

Scott was the head instructor and head strength & conditioning coach at The Fight Gym, a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu school and strength & conditioning facility located outside Cleveland, Ohio, for over a decade. He currently runs Enclave Jiu-Jitsu, a martial arts community and private training facility based in Northeast Ohio.