Finding Your Edge: A 3-Day Curriculum to Stay Ahead of the Competition

Day 1: Mastering the Art of Strategic Thinking

💡 Theme: Outthinking the Competition

1️⃣ Chess & Beyond (On-Screen & Off-Screen)

• Play a game of chess on Chess.com or Lichess and analyze the moves.
• Discuss strategies like anticipating opponents’ moves and thinking multiple steps ahead.
• Apply the concept to real-life scenarios—how would you outthink a competitor in business or sports?

2️⃣ Reverse Engineering Challenges (Off-Screen)

• Give him a simple puzzle or object and ask him to take it apart (physically or mentally).
• Example: Disassemble a mechanical toy or analyze how a product is built.
• Encourage him to think: If I were the creator, how could I make this even better?

3️⃣ Find the Unfair Advantage (Outdoor/Observation Activity)

• Visit a shopping mall or a busy street. Observe businesses and how they attract customers.
• Discuss: What makes some brands stand out? Why do some fail?
• Ask him: If you had to start a business here, how would you make it better than the competition?

Day 2: Adaptability & Innovation

💡 Theme: Finding Solutions Where Others See Problems

1️⃣ Break the Rules Creatively (On-Screen & Off-Screen)

• Play a game with clear rules (e.g., UNO, Monopoly, or an online game).
• After a few rounds, introduce "new" creative rules that change the way the game is played.
• Discuss: How do rule changes affect strategy? How do innovators in business rewrite the rules?

2️⃣ AI-Powered Idea Generation (On-Screen)

• Use ChatGPT or Google Gemini to brainstorm "100 ways to improve a school, business, or toy."
• Encourage him to think divergently—combine ideas from different industries to create something new.

3️⃣ Mastering the Pivot (Outdoor/Real-Life Application)

• Give him a challenge: Find a creative way to solve a real problem at home or in the community.
• Example: How can we organize toys more efficiently? How can we save time getting ready in the morning?
• The goal: Train him to see problems as opportunities.

Day 3: Execution & Performance Under Pressure

💡 Theme: Turning Ideas into Action & Staying Resilient

1️⃣ Speed Thinking Drills (On-Screen & Off-Screen)

• Use BrainBashers or a rapid-fire quiz app to challenge his ability to think quickly.
• Discuss: Why do some people freeze under pressure while others thrive?

2️⃣ Competitive Reflex Training (Physical Activity)

• Play a high-speed reaction game like table tennis, dodgeball, or a VR reflex training app.
• Explain how fast reactions and adaptability give a competitive edge in sports, gaming, and business.

3️⃣ Pitch & Defend (Speaking Activity)

• Have him prepare a 60-second "Shark Tank" pitch on a business or idea.
• Then, play devil’s advocate—ask tough questions to make him think critically.
• The goal: Train him to defend his ideas and improve under criticism.

Day 4: Mastering the Terrain

• Hill Sprint Strategy (Outdoor)

  • Train on the hill park to build endurance and leg power.
  • Focus on different sprinting strategies like short bursts, zigzag running, and controlled downhill running.
  • Discuss how athletes use terrain for training advantages.

• Sentosa Market Research (Outdoor/Observation)

  • Visit the busy tourist area and analyze what businesses are thriving.
  • Observe patterns in tourist behavior—what catches their attention?
  • Discuss: How could someone create a business or product that fits into this environment?

• Parkour Fundamentals (On-Screen + Off-Screen)

  • Watch beginner parkour videos (e.g., YouTube: STORROR or ParkourEDU).
  • Practice simple vaults, precision jumps, and balancing techniques in the park.
  • Connect to fencing footwork—how agility in movement can be an edge.

Day 5: Water as an Edge

• Beach Adaptation Training (Outdoor)

  • Run barefoot on the sand to improve balance and strength.
  • Practice quick turns and pivots in the sand to mimic unpredictable combat movements.
  • Discuss: How does training in different surfaces improve reaction time?

• Floating Ideas (On-Screen + Off-Screen)

  • Learn basic buoyancy and water physics with fun home experiments (e.g., placing different objects in water to see what floats).
  • Discuss how engineers use these principles in shipbuilding and product design.

• Survival Swimming Drills (Outdoor)

  • Go to the beach and practice treading water, floating, and quick entry/exit drills.
  • Talk about how being comfortable in water can be a life-saving skill and a physical advantage.

Day 6: Small But Mighty

• Mastering Leverage (On-Screen + Off-Screen)

  • Watch Judo or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu clips showing how smaller opponents use leverage to win.
  • Practice basic grip techniques at home with pillows or a soft dummy.
  • Discuss: How does technique overcome size in competition?

• Deception in Strategy (Board Games + Discussion)

  • Play chess or a deception-based game like Stratego or Coup.
  • Discuss real-life applications—how smaller players or businesses outmaneuver larger ones.

• Think Like an Underdog (On-Screen + Reflection)

  • Watch an underdog sports documentary (e.g., Rudy, Miracle, or The Karate Kid).
  • Discuss: What tactics do underdogs use to win?
  • Connect to real-world examples—small businesses beating big corporations.

Day 7: Understanding Tourism & Consumer Behavior

• Observation & Note-Taking (Outdoor)

  • Visit Sentosa and observe different types of tourists—families, solo travelers, groups.
  • Take notes on what they do, where they go, and what catches their attention.
  • Discuss: Why do people travel? What problems do tourists face?

• Souvenir Hunt (On-Screen + Outdoor)

  • Look up the best-selling souvenirs in different countries.
  • Visit souvenir shops in Sentosa and analyze: What items sell the most? What makes a good souvenir?
  • Brainstorm a unique souvenir idea he could create in the future.

• Intro to Hospitality & Tourism (On-Screen)

  • Watch short YouTube videos on how hotels, restaurants, and attractions operate.
  • Discuss: What makes a great tourist experience?

Day 8: Business & Selling to Tourists

• Creative Business Ideas (Brainstorming Activity)

  • Based on yesterday’s observations, list possible businesses that cater to tourists.
  • Example: A mobile snack stand, photography service, or custom T-shirt printing.

• Understanding Pricing & Money in Tourism (On-Screen + Off-Screen)

  • Research: How much do things cost in tourist areas vs. local areas?
  • Go to a Sentosa café and compare prices with a similar café outside the tourist zone.
  • Discuss: Why do tourists pay more? How do businesses price their products?

• Create a Mini Sales Pitch (Role-Playing)

  • Pretend to be a street vendor selling a product to a tourist.
  • Practice different ways to attract customers (friendly approach, humor, exclusivity).
  • Optional: Record a pretend “advertisement” for a fun product.

Day 9: Social Confidence & Networking with Strangers

• Tourist Interaction Challenge (Outdoor Activity)

  • Encourage him to ask a tourist one friendly question (e.g., “Where are you from?”).
  • Observe how tourists react to different approaches.
  • Discuss: How does confidence affect how people respond to you?

• Language Challenge (On-Screen + Off-Screen)

  • Learn 3 common tourist phrases in different languages (e.g., “Welcome!”, “Enjoy your trip!”, “Need help?”).
  • Practice saying them confidently.
  • Bonus: Use Google Translate or Duolingo to explore different languages.

• Body Language in Tourism (On-Screen + Role-Playing)

  • Watch a short video on how body language affects communication.
  • Act out different tourist behaviors—confused, excited, lost—and discuss what signals they send.
  • Discuss: How can you help or sell to tourists just by observing their body language?

Day 10: Marketing & Creating a Tourist Attraction

• Storytelling for Tourism (Creative Writing)

  • Pick a fun or mysterious place in Sentosa and create a short backstory for it.
  • Example: “The Secret of the Merlion” – a hidden treasure story.
  • Discuss: Why do tourists love stories? How does storytelling attract people?

• Mini Photography Business (Outdoor + On-Screen)

  • Take creative pictures of Sentosa attractions from unique angles.
  • Use Canva or Snapseed to edit them and make them look professional.
  • Discuss: How do Instagram-worthy photos help businesses?

• Create a Fake Tourist Promotion (On-Screen + Creative Thinking)

  • Use Canva or PowerPoint to design a simple ad for a made-up tourist attraction.
  • Example: “Singapore’s Secret Sunset Spot – Book a Tour Now!”
  • Discuss: What makes an ad catchy? How do businesses attract tourists online?

Why Does It Matter?

To stay ahead of the competition, it's not just about working harder but working smarter. This curriculum helps your son:
✅ Think strategically and anticipate moves ahead of time.
✅ Adapt quickly to changing situations and pivot when necessary.
✅ Perform under pressure and defend his ideas confidently.
✅ Helps him understand business, pricing, and consumer behavior.
✅ Builds social confidence by interacting with new people.
✅ Encourages creativity in marketing and problem-solving.
✅ Prepares him to think like an entrepreneur in a high-demand industry.

By repeating these skills regularly, he will develop a mindset of constant improvement, adaptability, and innovation—the ultimate competitive edge. 🚀