Master Sun Said
The Art of War, by Sun Tzu, is a ancient Chinese military strategy guide that has been studied for centuries. Generals and business leaders alike have carefully examined and adopted policies explained by Sun Tzu. The Art of War takes little over an hour to read and was written over two thousand years ago. This begs the question, why is some ancient military book so influential?
Sun Tzu does not write his guide in a traditional manner. Rather, the book is a collection of smaller works that were written on scrolls with each scroll focusing on a topic in military strategy. In addition, the writing is presented in a unique, more poetic style, with no paragraphs or full sentences. However, the real beauty behind The Art of War stems from how versatile the advice in the book is. The guidance provided by Master Sun is so general that it becomes applicable to almost every scenario. This is why a military soldier and a CEO can both study the book and get a lot out of it. For this week’s blog, I will be discussing some of the lessons I took from The Art of War that can be applied to anyone’s daily life.
Battles are Won Before Entering the Battlefield
One of the main reoccurring themes stressed by Master Sun is the idea that battles are won and lost before they are even fought. What Sun Tzu means by this is that success is determined based on the actions you perform prior to the moment that you need to perform in. This means that the army who is better prepared will win in a battle. A student who spent his time studying will score better than one who didn't. A company with a plan will outperform a company without one. However, Master Sun also warns that a person needs to determine which battles can be won in the first place. In order to achieve a goal, completing goal must be feasible to begin with. In summary, know your limitations and take proper steps in preparing and planning and you will succeed in any task you choose to undertake.
Keep your Eyes on the Prize
The Art of War lists a number of characteristics that make a leader weak. One of the most emphasized weaknesses is a leaders inability to stay on track. Often, people can be distracted or lured in by small prizes, like money or other materialistic gains. It is not uncommon to find people working jobs they hate simply because it pays them a little more than another career path. In the Peloponnesian War, Athens was defending themselves against Sparta. At the time, Athens had the greatest navy and they were the preferred victors in most scenarios. However, Athens attempted to expand their military by taking over Sicily, which they were warned against, and this ultimately led to their demise. Do not allow yourself to be lured in by distractions that may seem appealing for the moment. Instead, focus your efforts on your main goal and stick to it.
Split your Enemies
One of the most employed strategies in war is splitting your enemy and defeat them in small pieces. Master Sun advises all small armies to use terrain and luring tactics to split larger armies into smaller groups. This can be applied to taking on any big project that can seem daunting at first. Rather than trying to take on one massive project, make them into a number of smaller tasks. Give these tasks deadlines and before you know it, you will have completed your project.
Take Advantage of your Opportunities
Lastly, Master Sun emphasizes taking advantage of the opportunities the moment it is presented to you. He argues that opportunities build off other opportunities and if you don’t take action towards an opportunity first, someone else will. I am guilty of this all the time. For example, during the beginning of the semester, while other people were applying to internship positions, I was too busy perfecting my resume and cover letters. During this time, many companies were filling their positions and I ended up playing catch up.
Sun Tzu’s, The Art of War, is a timeless piece of literature that offers advice ranging from everyday life to military strategy. I strongly recommend taking the time to read through the book for yourself. The lessons I have listed were only few of many lessons that anyone can implement in their daily lives.Sun Tzu’s work will continue to become the topic of study for centuries.
“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.” — Sun Tzu
