‘THE ART OF WAR’ WILL HELP YOU SUCCEED

(“Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting.” ― Sun-Tzu, The Art of War)

The Art of War?was written 2,500 years ago by a legendary figure known as Sun Tzu.

It found immediate success upon release and was even formalized during the Song Dynasty as a must-read classic.

This book is also a great self-help book. The reason for this is that this teaches us how to use strategy to overcome all of life’s obstacles.

I have picked my favorite 6 and if applied, these lessons will teach us a whole new better way of living.

1.???“The wise warrior avoids the battle. He who wishes to fight must first count the cost…there is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.”

This is sound advice. Often in anger we take decisions that we regret later. All of us have pressed the send key in anger and then later realized that we should not have send the message. Whenever you face a situation where you find yourself angry, take a deep breath and excuse yourself from that situation. Once you are detached from the situation, your reaction would be much different and better. ?

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2.???“He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks. Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley. Rewards for good service should not be deferred a single day.”

Are you quick to condemn but too slow to praise? It would be advisable to take the opposite approach. To win the hearts of people around you, you must lead by example. Be firm but not harsh.

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3.???“The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.

Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.”

The key here is preparation.

The difference with being reactive instead of proactive - is preparation. And the advantage of preparation is that you can manage problems much quicker and more efficiently because you will already have the solutions at hand ready to be applied.

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4.???“Know yourself, know your enemy. A hundred battles, a hundred victories.”

This is perhaps the most famous quote from?The Art of War.?By knowing yourself, you will gain a realistic understanding of your weaknesses and strengths. The next logical step is to overcome your weaknesses and strengthen your strengths.

To take a quote from Aristotle, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

Don’t fight blind. Seek first to develop inner wisdom before attempting to conquer others.

5.???“Opportunities multiply as they are seized…In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”

Ideal situations don’t exist — there exists only circumstances, and it is up to us to make it work. Winners go and look for these opportunities. You must be passionate about something, and you must put all your effort into your goal or passion.

6.???“Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.”

?Careful planning and precise execution go hand in hand. These two are the integral?components of any project’s success. Before making any kind of decision,?consider the pros and cons, as well as the consequences?that each possible decision could bring.

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These lessons teach us to conquer ourselves. They teach us to develop strategical thinking, and to adopt a balanced mind, one that does not seek needless conflict but is at the same time unafraid to defend itself.