The Secret Geometry of Success: Why You Need to Be a Square, Circle, and Triangle (And Know When to Be Each)

Not every strategy works in every situation. The key is knowing which shape to become.

A few years ago, I was at a cafe I used to hang out at—before it was taken over by new owners who changed the whole vibe and lost most of the clientele that had been going there for years.

I saw a guy wearing a simple black cap with symbols on it: a triangle within a circle within a square.

For me, it immediately screamed “Martial Arts!” even though I didn’t know what “Meraki” meant at the time.

Now I know it means “full presence.”​

But what caught my attention wasn’t the name. It was those geometric shapes.

Because I’d seen those same shapes every day for years. I had them posted up in my locker at Grandmaster Han’s dojang.

And for years, I reflected upon the importance of groundedness, intention, and adaptability.

The funny thing—what I found out after joining Meraki—is that the owner and head instructor, Jason Hunt, coming from the creative world, chose his logo from the Bauhaus model of design.​

Not, as I had assumed, from martial arts exploration as avatars of energy and flow.

But nonetheless, I still use them in my training.

When to be a box and encapsulate my opponent.

When to be a circle and not give them anything to grab, hold, or attack.

And when to attack and impose my will on my opponent as a triangle—the tip of the spear.

But I don’t only use this on the mat.

Every day since the mid-90s, when I first put this up in my locker, I’ve found ways to use this sacred geometry in every aspect of my life.

When to be grounded and centered—the square.

When to be adaptable and fluid—the circle.

When to be assertive with my intention—the triangle.

Because not every strategy is applicable for every situation.

And like the game rock, paper, scissors: the strength of one is the disadvantage of another.

Life is a continual game of balancing strengths, weaknesses, and effectiveness to get what you want, avoid what you don’t want, and live a life of joy, purpose, and success.

So learn to use these three geometric shapes as your secret roadmap to life.

The Square: Groundedness and Stability

The square represents structure, stability, foundation.

Four sides. Four right angles. Solid. Grounded. Unmovable.

This is the shape of defense, of holding your ground, of creating boundaries.

When to be a square:

When you need to establish boundaries. When you need to hold your position. When you need to create structure in chaos.

On the mat:

The square is your base. Your stance. Your ability to not be moved.

When someone is trying to sweep you, pass your guard, or push you around—you become a square. You root. You stabilize. You hold your ground.

In life:

The square is your principles. Your non-negotiables. Your boundaries.

When someone is trying to manipulate you, pressure you, or push you into something you don’t want—you become a square. You hold your ground. You say no.

In business:

The square is your systems. Your processes. Your foundation.

When things are chaotic, when growth is happening too fast, when you need stability—you become a square. You build structure. You create systems. You establish order.

The strength of the square:

It’s solid. It’s reliable. It’s hard to move.

The weakness of the square:

It’s rigid. It’s predictable. It can’t adapt quickly.

If you’re always a square, you become inflexible. You can’t flow. You can’t adapt. You break under pressure.

The Circle: Adaptability and Flow

The circle represents fluidity, adaptability, continuity.

No corners. No edges. Infinite. Flowing. Ungraspable.

This is the shape of evasion, of redirection, of going with the flow.

When to be a circle:

When you need to adapt. When you need to redirect energy. When you need to avoid being caught or controlled.

On the mat:

The circle is your movement. Your ability to flow from position to position without resistance.

When someone is trying to grab you, control you, or pin you down—you become a circle. You move. You flow. You give them nothing to hold onto.

In life:

The circle is your flexibility. Your ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

When life throws you a curveball, when plans fall apart, when you need to pivot—you become a circle. You adapt. You flow. You find a new path.

In business:

The circle is your ability to pivot. To adjust to market changes. To respond to feedback.

When the market shifts, when customer needs change, when your original plan isn’t working—you become a circle. You adapt. You adjust. You flow.

The strength of the circle:

It’s adaptable. It’s fluid. It’s hard to pin down.

The weakness of the circle:

It has no edges. No boundaries. No direction.

If you’re always a circle, you become directionless. You never commit. You never stand for anything. You drift.

The Triangle: Intention and Force

The triangle represents direction, intention, force.

Three sides converging to a point. Sharp. Focused. Penetrating.

This is the shape of attack, of assertion, of imposing your will.

When to be a triangle:

When you need to take action. When you need to assert yourself. When you need to drive toward a goal.

On the mat:

The triangle is your attack. Your ability to impose your will on your opponent.

When you see an opening, when you have the advantage, when it’s time to finish—you become a triangle. You attack. You penetrate. You impose.

In life:

The triangle is your ambition. Your drive. Your ability to go after what you want.

When you see an opportunity, when you have clarity on your goal, when it’s time to act—you become a triangle. You move forward. You assert. You take what’s yours.

In business:

The triangle is your strategy. Your focus. Your ability to execute.

When you have a clear goal, when you know what needs to be done, when it’s time to execute—you become a triangle. You focus. You drive. You deliver.

The strength of the triangle:

It’s focused. It’s powerful. It’s effective.

The weakness of the triangle:

It’s aggressive. It’s narrow. It can overextend.

If you’re always a triangle, you become exhausting. You burn out. You alienate people. You push too hard and break.

The Game of Rock, Paper, Scissors

Here’s the key insight:

Each shape has a strength. And each strength is a weakness in a different context.

The square is strong when you need stability. But weak when you need to adapt.

The circle is strong when you need to flow. But weak when you need to stand your ground.

The triangle is strong when you need to attack. But weak when you need to defend.

It’s like rock, paper, scissors:

Rock beats scissors. Scissors beats paper. Paper beats rock.

None of them is always the best. It depends on the situation.

And life is a continual game of knowing which shape to become in which situation.

How to Use Sacred Geometry in Your Life

Here’s the framework:

Step 1: Assess the situation.

What’s happening? What’s being asked of you? What’s the challenge?

Don’t default to your favorite shape. Assess what’s actually needed.

Step 2: Choose the appropriate shape.

Do you need to hold your ground? Be a square.

Do you need to adapt and flow? Be a circle.

Do you need to attack and assert? Be a triangle.

Step 3: Embody that shape fully.

Don’t half-ass it. If you’re being a square, be solid. If you’re being a circle, be fluid. If you’re being a triangle, be focused.

Commit to the shape.

Step 4: Know when to shift.

Situations change. What worked a moment ago might not work now.

Be ready to shift from square to circle to triangle as the situation demands.

Step 5: Practice all three.

Most people default to one shape. They’re always the square (rigid). Or always the circle (wishy-washy). Or always the triangle (aggressive).

The masters can be all three. And they know when to be which.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Here’s a real example from my life:

As a foreman on a jobsite:

When the crew was getting sloppy, when safety was being compromised, when standards were slipping—I became a square. I held the line. I enforced the rules. I didn’t budge.

When plans changed, when we hit unexpected conditions, when we needed to adjust on the fly—I became a circle. I adapted. I flowed. I found a new solution.

When we were behind schedule, when we needed to push, when it was time to execute—I became a triangle. I focused the crew. I drove toward the goal. I delivered.

If I’d only been one shape, I would have failed.

Only a square? The crew would have resented me and the project would have stalled when we hit obstacles.

Only a circle? We’d never have finished on time and safety would have suffered.

Only a triangle? The crew would have burned out and I would have missed opportunities to adapt.

I needed to be all three. And know when to be which.

The Sacred Geometry of Relationships

This applies to relationships too.

With your partner:

Sometimes you need to be a square—hold your boundaries, stand your ground on what matters.

Sometimes you need to be a circle—adapt, compromise, flow with their needs.

Sometimes you need to be a triangle—assert what you want, take initiative, lead.

With your kids:

Sometimes you need to be a square—set rules, enforce boundaries, provide structure.

Sometimes you need to be a circle—listen, adapt to their changing needs, flow with their growth.

Sometimes you need to be a triangle—guide them, push them toward their potential, lead by example.

With your team:

Sometimes you need to be a square—hold standards, enforce accountability, provide stability.

Sometimes you need to be a circle—adapt to feedback, adjust the plan, flow with changing conditions.

Sometimes you need to be a triangle—set the vision, drive toward the goal, lead the charge.

The masters of life know which shape to be in which moment.

The Challenge

Here’s what I want you to do this week:

Identify your default shape.

• Are you usually a square? Rigid, structured, holding your ground?
• Are you usually a circle? Adaptive, flexible, going with the flow?
• Are you usually a triangle? Assertive, driven, attacking your goals?

Then identify a situation where that default shape isn’t working.

• Where being a square is making you inflexible.
• Where being a circle is making you directionless.
• Where being a triangle is making you exhausting.

Then practice being a different shape.

• If you’re always a square, practice being a circle. Adapt. Flow.
• If you’re always a circle, practice being a square. Hold your ground. Set a boundary.
• If you’re always a triangle, practice being a circle. Listen. Adjust.

Notice what happens. Notice what you learn.

The Truth About Success

Success isn’t about being one thing all the time.

It’s about being the right thing at the right time.

Grounded when you need stability. Fluid when you need to adapt. Assertive when you need to act.

Square. Circle. Triangle.

Not every strategy works in every situation.

The strength of one is the disadvantage of another.

And life is a continual game of balancing strengths, weaknesses, and effectiveness to get what you want, avoid what you don’t want, and live a life of joy, purpose, and success.

So learn to use these three geometric shapes as your secret roadmap to life.

When to be grounded and centered—the square.

When to be adaptable and fluid—the circle.

When to be assertive with your intention—the triangle.

Master all three. Know when to be which.

That’s the secret geometry of success.

Which shape do you need to become today?