From a childhood immersed in chess to becoming a global champion, Judit Polgár’s story shows how mindset, discipline, and persistence turn a pawn into a queen....
I can’t imagine a world without chess. The game was so important in my family that I often joke that my pacifier was a pawn.
Before my father even met my mother, he had already formed a strong belief about parenting and education. He had decided that he would do everything to raise his children to be exceptional, believing that excellence comes from concentrated, purposeful training rather than standard schooling. My mother, who was also a teacher, supported his vision.
I was immersed in chess from a very young age. My older sisters were already strong players, so learning the game felt natural to me. My parents created thousands of handmade study cards from chess games, organized practice sessions, and built a structured learning system around us. We were a close-knit family that encouraged each other constantly. This support laid the foundation for my success.
Motivation came naturally in this environment. Because my whole family was focused on chess, it didn’t feel forced. Watching my older sisters succeed made me want to improve. Initially, it was the love of the game that motivated me, but early success and recognition fed my passion. As I grew older, it became increasingly up to me how strict I would be and how determined I was to succeed.
If you truly care about something, you choose to prioritize it. It is this mindset that keeps motivation positive and not draining. Ambition comes from wanting to be the best, not just to compete. My goal was never simply to be the best among women, but to become one of the strongest chess players in the world.
My parents encouraged me to compete against the best players available, and I chose to play in stronger competitions – even when it was harder. I wanted to improve continuously. I entered elite tournaments as the only girl, playing against the top male grandmasters and world-class players. This experience gradually built my ability to compete at the highest level. I earned the Grandmaster title at 15 years of age, becoming one of the youngest grandmasters ever.
In life, there is so much we can learn from chess. A pawn begins as the smallest and most vulnerable piece on the board, with limited movement and little power. Yet, if it continues to move forward, step by step, facing challenges and finding its way through, it has the potential to become a queen – the strongest piece on the board. This is how we should think about our own journey. We may start out inexperienced or uncertain, but with the right mindset we can keep moving forward, one step at a time, understanding that true progress comes through patience, persistence, and steady, deliberate effort.
I refer to this as the PAWN mindset: starting from a position where you may feel small or uncertain, but knowing that with strong preparation, the ability to adapt, the willingness to commit to what truly matters, and the nerve to trust yourself under pressure, you can keep moving forward and grow into something far more powerful than you first imagined.
You learn to reset when things go wrong by acknowledging the mistake, stopping inner criticism in the moment, so as to allow yourself to refocus on the present situation.
Chess teaches lessons that go far beyond the board. It develops curiosity and pushes you to ask the right questions, because without the right questions, you can’t find the right answers. It teaches you to be creative and think differently, as you find solutions that your opponents don’t expect. At the same time, you learn to calculate and make decisions under immense pressure, to consider different possibilities and perspectives, and to understand consequences. You learn to identify critical decision moments and to choose strategies in response based on the situation rather than on habit.
You learn to reset when things go wrong by acknowledging the mistake, stopping inner criticism in the moment, so as to allow yourself to refocus on the present situation. Reflection can come later.
Most importantly, it teaches patience, knowing that progress on the board, as in life, comes from one move at a time, and that consistent, thoughtful effort is what truly leads to success.
This article is inspired by a keynote session at IMD’s signature Orchestrating Winning Performance program, Lausanne (2026), which brings together executives from diverse sectors and geographies for a week of intense learning and sharing with IMD faculty and business experts.
From unlocking the mysteries of the Higgs boson to managing one of the world’s most complex scientific collaborations, Fabiola Gianotti shares what leadership looks like when purpose, passion, patience, and global collaboration...
Discover how bonding and bridging capital fuel change. Insights from Raising Social Capital show why trust is your company's hidden engine...
A recent survey of 123 senior executives exploring the “Long Arc of Leadership” reveals an uncomfortable gap between what executives value and what organizations reward. ...
Protect your pipeline: actionable steps to develop leaders from entry-level roles as AI transforms junior work tasks....
Explore first person business intelligence from top minds curated for a global executive audience
