The Sun Tzu Way (TSTW) is designed to be a practical philosophy of life. If we look at the practical philosophies of the Ancient world (especially Ancient Greece), we see that the major philosophers of that time basically agreed that the goal of life was happiness. This is no different in TSTW. Indeed, to understand TSTW in a deep way, we need to explore the concept of happiness.

To start, when I say "happiness," I don't mean it in the sense of "glee" or "merriment." Rather I mean a deeper sense of happiness - a calm, peaceful state of contentment. The Ancient Greeks called this form of happiness eudaimonia - which translates to mean "good spirit." It is a kind of happiness that entails peace, stability, and well-being, and includes a general freedom from anxiety, worry, anger, or any other wild emotion.

The Ancient Chinese have a very similar concept for happiness as eudaimonia, which they called an. An is a happiness that encompasses the concepts of peace, security, tranquility, contentment. It is also the term Sun Tzu uses to describe the ultimate aim of a general - a state of literal peace and security for the nation.

Because of this similarity in the concept of happiness (eudaimonia and an), I'll use the word "happiness" to relate the Ancient Greeks with Sun Tzu.

Now the Ancient Greeks disagreed on what are the conditions for cultivating happiness (eudaimonia) in one's life. Some, like the Epicureans, believe that pleasure is the only condition for happiness. Others, like the Stoics, believe that the only necessary and sufficient condition for happiness is virtue.

The Sun Tzu Way offers a different understanding of the conditions necessary to cultivate happiness - one that comprehends happiness as an expression of the relationship between the individual and the environment or ecosystem in which he or she lives.

Under this philosophical view, there are three conditions of happiness.

The first condition is harmony. For an individual to be happy, there must be an overall sense of harmony between the individual and his or her environment - whether social or physical. This sense of harmony can express itself as a sense of belonging, or being in-sync with others, or being on the same page, or shared culture. Regardless of what it looks like, there needs to be a sense of shared understanding between people in the environment.

The second condition is security. To be happy, an individual must feel secure in their environment - physically, emotionally, mentally, economically. They must feel that their basic needs are not under threat - that they can secure their needs within their environment.

The third condition is respect. To be happy, an individual must feel seen - i.e. that their desires, needs, feelings, thoughts have a degree of importance and influence. That they matter.

A few notes on these conditions. First, these conditions are not absolute. There is no such thing as absolute harmony, security, or respect.

Second, these conditions are about how the individual feels within the environment they inhabit. It is about having a stable feeling of harmony, security, and respect.

Third, while it is true that none of these conditions are likely under any person's direct control, thus leading us to the conclusion that a person's happiness is not entirely up to them, under TSTW, they don't have to be. Absolute happiness is not the goal. The goal is to make progress towards meeting these conditions. To continually get closer to obtaining them.

So what happens when one of these conditions is not met?

When a condition is not met, the individual's situation tends to develop a specific kind of challenge. An issue with harmony, for example, tends to lead to a situation of conflict, where two or more parties in an environment have a disagreement, a general lack of consensus, on how to work together. A feeling of distrust or uncertainty can develop.

A lack of security in one's environment tends to lead to competition. If I live in an environment where I am not readily assured food or shelter or money or emotional companionship, then I must compete to secure these things.

Lastly, an issue with respect can lead to confrontation​. When someone does not respect you, they will likely disregard or trample over your desires, needs, or feelings, creating a situation where you will need to confront them in order to stop or weaken the lack of respect.

To cultivate our individual happiness, for which we are individually responsible, we must identify which condition(s) are not being met and work to ensure progress towards their being met. This requires applying the appropriate principle - cohesion, concealment, control - of TSTW.

For conflict situations, we must apply the principle of cohesion, where we are trying to identify the differences and develop a shared understanding between all parties as to the path forward. Applied effectively, this should lead to greater consensus between all parties.

For competitive situations, we must apply the principle of concealment, where we are trying to hide our designs and intentions while establishing our seemingly natural fitness for meriting a certain resource, advantage, or reward. Effective application should lead to a greater sense of confidence within the situation.

Lastly, for confrontational situations, we must apply the principle of control, where we try to weaken or undermine the strength of the opposition through the accumulation of advantages and the elimination of barriers. Applying control effectively leads to greater cooperation between you and the other parties in the confrontation.

With this theory of happiness and the three conditions, we can better understand why we are facing certain situations and how to better respond to them. Such understanding gives us control over our lives and allows us to cultivate a deeper sense of happiness over time.

In a previous post, I talked about how important it is to be responsive to events that occur, rather than indifferent to them. Such responsiveness is important if we want to cultivate and secure our sense of peace (an) in life.

But what does that entail exactly? How does one be responsive? Does Sun Tzu offer a framework for understanding and responding to events? And how can we adopt it into our daily lives?

In asking myself these questions, I've developed a unique framework, based on The Art of War, that allows us to adopt responsiveness as a trait in our own lives.

For Sun Tzu, there are three types of events in war: 

1. Solid events that clearly affect (i.e. strengthen or weaken) your positioning.
2. Empty events that have no real impact on your positioning. 
3. Obscure events, in which you are unsure of its effect on your positioning.

It is the general's role to determine 1) whether an event is solid, empty, or obscure, and 2) how to respond. In general, only solid events require a mobilizing response - that is, require the coordination and use of forces towards achieving a specific objective. Empty events can generally be ignored, but obscure events require vigilance and deeper investigation.

You can follow a similar framework in your own life. On your path to peace, happiness, security, many different events will occur. The question you must ask yourself is: how do these events affect me on my path? It is your role to determine whether an event is solid, empty, or obscure, and how to respond.

Accordingly, there are three kinds of solid events: conflictual, competitive, and confrontational. A conflictual event is one that undermines or threatens your sense of unity or harmony - your sense of togetherness. An example would be a disagreement you have with your spouse regarding how best to parent your child.

A competitive event is one that affects your chances of attaining some sort of advantage, resource, or reward. An example would be if you find out a colleague is vying for a position in the company you work for that you are interested in.

A confrontational event is one that threatens your ability to move forward, and may even threaten to make you regress in your path. An example would be if you find out your spouse has been gambling away your savings, or your business partner has been stealing from your company, or you have fallen off the wagon.

Empty events tend to run into two categories: diversions and ego-challenges. Diversions are events that seem engaging, entertaining, or full of excitement and the potential for pleasure, but ultimately do not serve you on your path. Diversions are not necessarily bad or dangerous in and of themselves, but they can be if you do not have the discipline and self-control to ignore or quit indulging them.

Ego-challenges, on the other hand, are events that seem to be solid, but do not actually affect your ability to advance on your path. Rather, they affect your ego. Because they look like solid events, there are three types of ego-challenges: ego conflicts, ego competitions, and ego confrontations.

Ego conflicts occur when someone disagrees with how you think about yourself. For example, if someone says you're "aggressive," when you view yourself as more assertive. Or if someone says you are "shy" or "reserved," when you view yourself as introverted or thoughtful.

Ego competitions generally occur when there is a perceived advantage, reward, or prospect at stake that would only really serve how your ego - i.e. how you wish to be seen or see yourself. An example would be a situation where you try to get credit for a project that you worked hard on. Or where you want your idea to be taken seriously by your boss so that you get recognition for how capable you are.

Ego confrontations occur when your ego - your reputation, your social standing, how people perceive you, etc. - is being directly threatened. Examples would be if someone openly criticizes or harshly derides an idea that you have put forth, or if someone directly insults you, or if an idea that you fought hard for implementing ends up failing poorly and noticeably in front of other people.

The last type of events is obscure events. These are events that could mean or lead to something more significant, more solid, but you are unsure. For example, it could be a weird interaction that you had with your friend that leaves you unsure whether they are upset with you. Or it could be a series of comments from your boss that leads you to suspect that your job position may be in danger.

With each type of event, there is an ideal response that aligns with TSTW. For solid events, you want to mobilize a response in accordance with the core principles of TSTW (cohesion for conflicts, concealment for competitions, and control for confrontations). For empty events, you want to ignore or minimize your response. You don't want to give much energy or focus to engaging them.

For obscure events, you do not want to mobilize, but you do want to stay vigilant and prepared. Play the spy, investigating the event more deeply. Develop contingency responses in case the thing you suspect ends up being true.

In understanding and utilizing the principles and wisdom of The Art of War, it's helpful to think of your success and fulfillment as a journey. It involves moving from where you are currently to where you want to be.

As such, in order to move safely and effectively on this path, you have to know where to look. In studying The Art of War for over twenty years, I've found that there are five metaphorical directions you must look in order to ensure you are progressing along the path of happiness and serenity.

The first direction is forward. Looking forward means understanding your purpose, anticipating the dangers you may face, and keeping focused on advancing. For Sun Tzu, this is characterized by following the Tao, or the Way.

The second direction is upwards. Looking upwards means understanding the values you want to uphold as you walk this path. These values characterize the ideal qualities or outcomes you want to prioritize and maintain as you keep on the path. For Sun Tzu, these values are clarity, readiness, and wholeness. They are governed by the factor of Heaven.

The third direction is downwards. Looking downwards means understanding your situation - the challenges, opportunities, risks - and the principles you need to deal with it. For Sun Tzu, your situation and the principles you face relate to the Ground.

The fourth direction is inwards. Looking at yourself means looking at your virtues, or your internal qualities and strengths - what is going to keep you committed and faithful to the path. For Sun Tzu, this relates to the factor of the General.

The fifth and last direction is sideways. Looking sideways, right and left, tells you how effective you are at moving forward on the path. These are characterized by the three disciplines of calculation, positioning, and timing. For Sun Tzu, these three disciplines make up the Methods.

There is one direction, for Sun Tzu, that you should never look, and that is backwards. For Sun Tzu, once you have set your purpose and are committed to a path, you must see it through. You must go deep and be united.

This is the same in life. Don't look backwards. Don't run away. If the path is worth it, you must try to walk it. 

"One who, prepared, awaits the unprepared will win."
- Sun Tzu

Resilience is a popular term these days. It connotes the ability to withstand or bounce back from tough situations. To keep one's head, one's composure, even in the face of crisis.

While resilience may be an important attribute to have, the Sun Tzu Way is ultimately not a philosophy of resilience. Rather, it is a philosophy of readiness.

Readiness involves the ability not simply to withstand tough situations, but to anticipate them - and to use them essentially to determine one's response.

For Sun Tzu, this quality is crucial in war. It is not enough for an army simply to bounce back from a bad situation. To keep its head when times are tough. That may keep the army in the fight, but it is not enough to secure its victory.

Rather, the army, led by a wise general, must be prepared to respond in all types of situations. This is why Sun Tzu details so many different scenarios in The Art of War -  from easy situations where the army has a clear advantage to vague situations where it is difficult to get a read on what's going on to seemingly dangerous situations where it seems like there is no option but to fight, even to death.

It is through understanding these different possibilities and knowing how and when to respond that the army is ready to use every situation as a means to secure total victory (quan sheng). 

In life, the same idea is true. Being resilient is not enough for you to achieve a sense of security (an). It's not enough to able to withstand or bounce back from a bad situation. You must learn to anticipate danger or risk, to prepare for it, to know how to respond a situation so that you end up in a better place than before.

It's not just about keeping your head; it's about using it to get ahead. 

Wealth is a tricky concept. On the one hand, wealth provides us with a sense of security. If we are in trouble, or if we want to retire, having wealth can help give us peace of mind. On the other hand, wealth is also the source of great insecurity. Everyone wants wealth, so everyone competes for wealth.

In other words, having wealth brings us security; building wealth, on the other hand, is the source of our main troubles in life.

Given how complex and competitive building wealth is, how do we navigate it? What principles can we apply from Sun Tzu on building wealth?

After studying Sun Tzu for over twenty years, I've come to realize there are seven key rules that can be applied to building wealth. These rules are

1. Treat wealth as a means, not an end.
2. Ensure you are protected before taking action.
3. Move into unoccupied areas where you can dominate.
4. Prioritize other people's resources over your own whenever possible.
5. Pay a premium for good information.
6. Prefer quick, secure, yet modest gains over long, risky, but huge gains.
7. Conceal your moves.

Let's look at each rule in greater detail.

Rule 1: Treat wealth as a means - not an end. 
For Sun Tzu, wealth, in and of itself, has no inherent value. Rather, it is a means to cultivating a sense of peace and security (an). As such, how much wealth you should have depends on what it takes for you to feel at peace and secure. The less you require in order to have a sense of an, the less wealth you need to acquire.

This is why understanding your purpose is key, since it provides you clarity in determining what will allow you to cultivate an in your life. 

Rule 2: Ensure you're protected before acting.
All wealth-building endeavors involve risk. The key is making sure you are protected in both time and money in case a particular endeavor fails. For Sun Tzu, this is critical. As he tells us, "The skilled warriors of the past first focused on not allowing [the enemy] to win, waiting for the enemy to allow [them] to win." In other words, protect yourself first, then try to win.

When it comes to building wealth, the principle is the same. Before taking on any endeavor for gaining money, always make sure that failure would not leave you in a worse position than you were before. Never over-invest money you don't have. Never borrow money unless you have a solid strategy for how you will be able to pay it back, regardless of whether the venture is successful or not.

Rule 3: Move into unoccupied areas in which you can dominate. 
The secret to building wealth is controlling "grounds" (Di) - that is, fields, markets, idea-spaces, projects, departments, etc. - where you can easily dominate. For Sun Tzu, you never want to compete for a ground that is already dominated by some other competitor. As he tells us, "The skilled warrior sends soldiers, but does not send them to soldiers."

In trying to build wealth, focus on areas where you can easily dominate. Look at your strengths - your skills, your personal traits, your knowledge, your resources. What can you dominate in? In which areas do you have proven skills? Once you dominate one area, you can now move onto a bigger area to dominate.

The key is never to find yourself competing for a market, job position, industry, etc. that some other person has dominated first. Wealth, for Sun Tzu, is built through the gradual control of these "grounds" - not through competing for one big ground.

Rule 4: Prioritize other people's resources over your own whenever possible. 
For Sun Tzu, acquiring or using your own resources (money, time, equipment, effort, etc.) to build or secure wealth is not as valuable as using someone else's. As he writes, "One unit of the enemy's food is worth twenty units of our food. One picul of [the enemy's] fodder is worth twenty picul of our own."

Before you think about risking your own money or equipment or time to build wealth, try first asking whether there is a way for you to use someone else's. Is there a way to get something for free or at a huge discount by getting it used? Is there a connection or friend that may be able to help? Is it more cost-effective to rent equipment? Is there a way to let insurance cover a portion or all of the risk? What can I steal from the Internet or history to help me?

Don't always assume you have to do it yourself. Other people's resources - if you have access to them - are also part of your wealth.

Rule 5: Pay a premium for good information.
For Sun Tzu, the general or ruler should always be willing to pay a premium for access to reliable intelligence. As he writes, "One refusing to pay a hundred pieces of gold and thus does not know the enemy's situation is the height of inhumanity." 

You must prioritize information and learning in every wealth-building endeavor. It pays to know as much as you can not only protect against the risk, but be prepared to jump on opportunities that arise.  

Rule 6: Prefer quick, secure, yet modest gains over long, risky, but huge gains.
For Sun Tzu, the biggest calamity in war is fighting a long, drawn-out war, regardless of the potential benefits. A long, drawn-out war sucks resources, costs lives, and opens a nation up to being attacked by neighboring countries. In life, this same principle applies. What you are after is a quick victory, one that doesn’t cost you much in time, effort, or money, but that can give you decent profits.

For example, if you have to choose between job #1, which pay a lot, but comes with insane work hours and huge responsibilities and lots of restrictions in terms of decision making, and job #2, which pays less than than job #1, but offers you a lot more time and space to make decisions, job #2 would be the better choice. Though it’s less money, job #2 offers greater freedom and more time.

Likewise, if you have to choose between client #1, who is willing to pay a substantial amount of money, but who comes with a lot of headaches and requires a lot of attention, and client #2, who pays less than client#1, but who is very easy to manage and requires little attention, then client #2 would be the better choice. Client #2 offers more time and freedom to acquire more clients like him. 

Rule 7: Conceal your moves. 
For Sun Tzu, concealment (cang) is the heart of security. You are best protected when you are the most concealed.

As you are building your wealth, it is important never reveal exactly what you are doing. Doing so will only undermine your positioning. Rather, conceal your intentions and moves. Don't share your plans. Take small steps and occupy areas that are unoccupied (see Rule 3).

As you gradually start to dominate in different fields or markets or project areas, you'll start to gradually build influence, and gradually the wealth will come. 

In the world of strategy, we spend a lot of time focusing on what a person should do. How should they respond? How should they react? What is the game plan?

But, for Sun Tzu, equally important is knowing when not to act. Knowing when not to respond, when to stay put or shut up or hold back or even withdraw. In war, this knowledge is critical. Not all opportunities are equal. Because mobilizing an army can be very expensive and dangerous, a general must make careful calculations if he's going to send his troops out.

For Sun Tzu, we should only act when we have the advantage, when the moment is right. Timing is everything.

In life, the same idea is true. Success in life depends not on constantly doing, doing, doing. That is a recipe for burnout. Rather, it comes from knowing when to say yes to certain opportunities and when to say no, or when not to respond. 

But how do you know when not to respond or act? How do you know when to say "no"? How do you develop this knowledge? Sun Tzu offers us four situations where it's better not to respond:

1. If there is nothing to gain.
2. If there is no danger.
3. If you feel angry or spiteful.
4. If, by responding, there will be greater danger.

These situations apply equally to the armies of Ancient China as it does to us. Let's go into each situation in greater detail.

IF THERE IS NOTHING TO GAIN
"If there is no advantage, do not move."
- Sun Tzu

For Sun Tzu, mobilizing an army to gain an advantage requires using resources. It requires coordination, money, food, and time. It also opens up an army to dangers, such as disease or fatigue. Thus, moving an army when there is no advantage to be gained is a huge waste of resources.

While this reasoning may seem like common-sense, in our culture, it is very easy to get caught up in FOMO, or "fear of missing out." How many times do we subscribe to newsletters, websites, blogs, channels that end up just taking up space in home, phone, inbox, etc.? How many times do we accept an invite to an event or webinar that ends up just being a waste of time? How many times do we click on a news article or watch a video based on a scintillating headline, only to find out that it wasn't as exciting or interesting as we hoped? 

Take Sun Tzu's advice to heart: if there is nothing to gain, don't act. Don't respond. Don't subscribe. Don't attend. Don't read. Don't participate.

Value your time and attention. Spend them on things that align with and support your purpose and help you along the Way (Tao). Ask yourself: Will this move me forward on the path I want to be on, or will it move me away from it?

If it's away from it, you need to seriously reconsider whether you should give your time and attention to it.

IF THERE IS NO DANGER
"If there is no danger, do not fight."
- Sun Tzu

War is by its nature an intense and emotional endeavor. It is easy to get defensive and pitch battle when you see an enemy force nearby. But for Sun Tzu, this only makes controlling your nerves even more critical. Battles can be expensive - not just in terms of money, but lives. One should only engage in battle if there is a real danger, a real threat, to the army.

Likewise, in life, especially in times of great social and political tension, it is very easy to get caught up in arguments and fights. Someone says something we disagree with, and we feel the need to speak up and argue with them. Someone criticizes something we said, and we feel the need to defend ourselves. Someone calls into question our idea or reputation, and we immediately try to attack them.

These conflicts, arguments, and debates can suck up our mental and emotional energy, not to mention our time. The issue, though, with these situations is that often times, they can easily be avoided by simply not responding. Often times, they will go away by themselves.

The next time you hear someone say something you disagree with or criticize you about something, ask yourself: Is there really any danger here? Or is it just my ego that wants to respond?

Oftentimes, it is just our ego feeling threatened. Don't let it take control over your decision-making! You should respond defensively only if there is something real at stake - that is, if something or someone is threatening your ability to your ability to progress forward.

IF YOU FEEL ANGRY OR RESENTFUL
"Anger can return to happiness. Resentment can return to contentment. [But] a destroyed nation cannot return. Those who are dead cannot come back to life."
- Sun Tzu

For Sun Tzu, the one of the worst times to attack is when one is angry or resentful. This is for two reasons. First, anger and resentment tend to disconnect us from reality. Behind every feeling of anger or resentment is a feeling of disbelief - disbelief at what someone has done or is able to do. Such a disconnection in war is very dangerous, as it allows us always to be surprised by our enemies.

The second reason is because anger and resentment lead us towards destructive behavior. For Sun Tzu, destruction often costs more than simply getting over a perceived attack or grievance. We risk the lives of our soldiers, and thus the security of our nation, when we act from anger or resentment.

For this reason, one should never act out of anger or resentment. A ruler should never dispatch troops or a general throw soldiers into battle out of anger or resentment. 

In your own life, the same principle is true. How many times have we said something out of anger, only to regret it later? How many times have we broken someone's trust or confidence in us by responding this way? How many times have we disappointed, scared, or hurt someone we loved because we responded from anger or resentment?

Never act from anger or resentment, even if there is something to gain (for example, someone complies with what you want). In most cases, you'll end up cancelling out whatever gains you make. Doing this often just builds anger or resentment in the other person - not true cooperation.

Instead, ask yourself: What will I gain from acting out of anger or resentment? What could I lose from doing so?

In almost all cases, it's not worth the cost, and in most cases, it won't really get you anywhere.

IF BY RESPONDING THERE WILL BE GREATER DANGER
"If I know the troops can attack, but do not know the enemy cannot attack, my victory is half. If I know the enemy can be attacked, but do not know the troops cannot attack, my victory is half. If I know the enemy can be attacked, and know the troops can attack, but do not know the ground in battle, my victory is half."
- Sun Tzu

For Sun Tzu, total victory (quan sheng), the ultimate goal of the general in war, is achieved through having complete knowledge or understanding of the situation. Knowing only whether you can attack, or if the enemy can attack, or if the ground is favorable, and not knowing all the others, puts your army at greater risk.

Thus, for Sun Tzu, it is important to have a complete picture of the situation before committing troops to battle. Of course, this doesn't mean that the general will not act at all. Rather, he may try all sorts of things to get a better read on the situation. He may send a small skirmish to test the enemy. He may send spies to report back. He may try to build alliances with neighboring rulers.

But when it comes to sending his soldiers into battle, it is only when the general has a complete understanding that he can confidently put his troops in danger.

In your own life, this principle is the same. We are taught to act, act, act. To try our best, even if we fail. To be persistent and fight like hell and get back up if we are knocked down.

But oftentimes, we can overextend ourselves. We get excited about some opportunity that turns out to be a wash. We are told by friends or experts to invest in some new scheme and end up losing our money. We burn ourselves out trying to make a certain career path or relationship work.

While uncertainty and risk are natural parts of any endeavor in life, our role is not simply to accept them. Our role is to gain a complete understanding of our situation. We do not compete for half-victories.

Of course, this doesn't mean that we simply do nothing. We can always do more to improve our situation. We can always learn more skills, gain more knowledge, acquire more resources or connections.

But we should never compete for half-victories. So whenever an opportunity arises on your path, ask yourself: Do I have a clear understanding of how successful or helpful this opportunity would be? Is this something I can honestly say will benefit me, whether or not it ends up successful?

If answer no to either question, you should definitely reassess.
~
All four of these situations have one thing in common: they are all distractions. Keeping to the Way (Tao) means being able to tell the difference between what will help you on the path or distract you from the path.

So heed the advice: If there is nothing to gain, if there is no danger, if you are simply angry or resentful, or if it presents a greater cost or risk to you if it's not successful - then stop. Wait and assess. It's most likely not worth it.

"A skilled military operation cultivates the Tao, yet preserves the Methods. Thus, one can become master of victory and defeat."
- Sun Tzu

A popular notion in self-help and positive psychology is the concept that our feelings about the world is determined by our perspective - that is, how we judge it. This is a concept best expressed by Shakespeare in Hamlet when the titular character tells us: "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." That is to say, if we think, or judge, an event to be bad, then we will feed bad (angry, anxious, etc.) about it.

Thus, we are told, if we want to feel better about a situation, then we need to shift our perspective and view it differently. Cognitive behavioral psychologists call this technique "reframing." It involves taking a step back or away from the situation so that we can view it more objectively or positively. The more objectively or positively we view a situation, then the more objectively or positively we will feel, and thus respond, to the situation.

So how does reframing work? Like trying on new glasses, you try different perspectives to help you view the situation differently. For example, if someone cuts you off on the highway, rather than getting upset, you can frame the situation differently saying: "Maybe this driver is an urgent situation or didn't see me."

Or if you miss your bus, rather than get upset or anxious, you can frame the situation differently by saying: "Oh well, now I can get more reading done as I wait for the next bus to come."

Or if you find out your star-colleague just quit her job, rather than panic for the work you might have to fill in for, you can frame it differently and say, "This gives me an opportunity to step up and improve my skills."  

On the surface, reframing makes sense. And indeed, it is a very effective tool for helping us feel and respond differently to situations that befall us. The problem with reframing, though, is that it doesn't address the real reason why we need to use the technique in the first place - the fact that we become rattled, angry, worried, etc. to the event in the first place.

Why would we get upset when a driver cuts us off? Why would we panic if we miss our bus or a colleague leaves?

The reason why we get emotional in these situations is not because of our thoughts, but because these emotions are natural responses to situations in which we feel a lack of control. As human beings, we have an inherent need to feel a sense of control over our situation - ourselves, our relationships, our future.

This need is tied to our sense of calmness and well-being. When we feel in control of a situation, we feel calm and confident. When we don't, we feel emotional, anxious, upset. As bestselling author Robert Greene writes in The 48 Laws of Power, “The feeling of having no power over people and events is generally unbearable to us – when we feel helpless, we feel miserable.”

No amount of reframing is going to get rid of this need. And no amount of objectivity or positive thinking is going to overcome it. These things may help us feel better about the situation and view it more calmly or positively, but unless we acknowledge and address this underlying need, we will always be at struggle with ourselves to maintain this positive or calm attitude.

So how then do we approach situations that rattle us and gain real calm and composure? Or is the situation hopeless? As you can imagine, Sun Tzu provides a way.

For Sun Tzu, the role of the general is to ensure the nation's security (an). He does this first by examining the Way (Tao). For Sun Tzu, this means understanding the purpose by which the ruler commands and unifies the people. If the purpose is clear and strong, then the Way forward is clear. Any events that occur - whether fortunate or not - will be reflected clearly in light of the Way.

Next, he gathers as much information and intelligence as he can - about the ground, about the weather, about the enemy, about his own army and nation.

Lastly, he takes this information and analyzes it, asking questions: What are we trying to do or achieve? What are all the obstacles we face? Where is the enemy strong or weak? Where are we strong or weak?

Based on his answers to these questions, he develops a response to whatever situation is in front of him.

This whole process is predicated on understanding the Way - that is, understanding how the ruler seeks to lead the people and whether this leadership is strong and clear. Without the Way, the whole analysis becomes useless.

Likewise, this is the approach we need to take in our own lives. When an event occurs, we need to ask ourselves not simply "How can I view this differently?", but rather: "What does this mean in terms of my purpose?" How does it affect my path forward? Then we can better understand our own feelings and determine a response.

If your sense of purpose is clear, then the meaning or impact of the event will be clearer to you. It won't easily shake you, because you'll have greater certainty of where you are on the path.

As a result, you won't need to "reframe" your thinking after the event occurs, because your sense of purpose becomes your primary frame, your Way. It is the perspective by which you view life.

If your sense of purpose is not clear, then it is important to go back to step one and ask: What is my purpose? What am I trying to ultimately do or achieve in life, and why? While reframing may help you in the moment to deal with a difficult situation, no amount of reframing is going to give you the answer to this question.

And it is only by cultivating a deep sense of purpose that you'll be able to find real calm or peace.

"On difficult ground, keep going."
- Sun Tzu

In The Art of War, Sun Tzu places a lot of value on always being ready to face or deal with the enemy. Indeed, this emphasis on readiness is so important for Sun Tzu that I consider it one of the core values of the Sun Tzu Way (TSTW). Sun Tzu tells us explicitly, "One who, prepared, awaits the unprepared wins." In other words, readiness is a key factor for achieving victory.

This sounds nice, you may be thinking, but what about emergency situations? What about really difficult situations that catch us off-guard? How would you use​ TSTW to deal with people or events you didn't or couldn't plan for?

In truth, while Sun Tzu does stress the importance of planning and foreknowledge, he also embraces the fact that the unexpected is a feature of every battle. Wars are inherently chaotic. No general, no matter how skilled, can calculate or plan for everything.

Nor does Sun Tzu expect him to. Indeed, readiness is not about predicting what's going to happen. Rather, it's about how well you are able to respond to the ever-changing situation before you. Master your response, and you control the situation.

As such, there are four rules that I have drawn from reading The Art of War to help me in dealing with difficult, unexpected situations. They are

1. Let the river water settle.
2. Find the high ground.
3. Move quickly through the marshes.
4. Use the ground for assistance.

Let's go through each in greater detail.

LET THE RIVER WATER SETTLE
"When it rains and the river water rises, one who wishes to cross must wait for it to settle."
- Sun Tzu

The first rule in dealing with a difficult situation is to let the river water settle - that is, to wait for things to calm before taking action. Sun Tzu, of course, is speaking here of a physical river that an army is looking to cross, but we can use the imagery as a metaphor for our own lives.

The pouring rain refers to a quick and sudden change that makes difficult what we are trying to do. We are trying to cross a particular river - i.e. get a promotion, land a client, get a date with someone we like. But then something happens that complicates this or slows down the opportunity: a recession hits, another person is competing for the same client, the person we wanted to date is still talking with their ex.

Sun Tzu's advice for us is simple: stop trying to cross that river and just wait for it to settle. There are two aspects to this rule. The first echoes another rule that Sun Tzu tells, "Move if there is advantage, stop if there is not." There is nothing to gain by trying to continue on the path. Rather, you have to wait until you can reassess your situation. 

Perhaps the promotion is no longer available, but once things have settled, you'll be in a much better position to understand what opportunities are available. Perhaps the client will not go with your competition, but once things have settled, you'll be in a much better position to understand their wants and needs. Perhaps the person you want to date will not go back to her ex, but once things have settled, you'll have a better idea of where her head is at.

Things will not always end up the way you want. The river you're trying to cross may not be the right river, especially after a storm. Continuing while things are crazy, though, will not make that any clearer to you. Wait for things to settle to determine if you really want to cross.

The second aspect is to let the river water in your mind settle. When an event occurs that disturbs our plans, our minds can often get rattled. Waiting for the rainwater to settle also means letting your mind process what has happened. This is the time to take a step back and assess your emotional state. Ask yourself: How does this make me feel? Am I upset? Am I frustrated? Am I hurt?

Embedded in this rule is the understanding that the river water will settle. As Sun Tzu tells us, "Anger can return to happiness. Resentment can return to contentment." Things may be hard, frustrating, and surprising now - but give it time, and it will settle.

Then you can make your move.

FIND THE HIGH GROUND
​"In general, the winning army prefers the high ground and hates the low, values the sunny side and despises the dark."
- Sun Tzu

For Sun Tzu, the reason why the winning army prefers the high, sunny ground over the low, dark ground is because both height and light provide maximum visibility of your situation. Light allows you to see your situation, height allows you to see far and wide.

The same idea applies to your life. It is easy to get caught up in bad news. Someone is spreading a rumor about you at work, someone gives a bad review of your business on the internet, a high-paying client decides to leave you, your significant other is questioning your future together.

It's easy to respond with hurt, frustration, defensiveness. However, to effectively deal with your situation, you must try to see it from a clear and elevated perspective. This involves viewing your situation from two perspectives - from the perspective of purpose (yi) and from the perspective of compassion (ren).

A question I try to ask myself in these types of situation is: How can I respond in a way that both allows me to move forward in my purpose and shows respect and dignity to myself and the people I'm dealing with?

Perhaps this means confronting your gossiper in a calm and humane way. Perhaps it means responding to the poor review by apologizing and agreeing to certain concessions. Perhaps it means genuinely asking the high-paying client what you could have done differently to retain his patronage. Perhaps it means asking your significant other what future she wants and being honest about what you want in your future.

The idea is not that you will get what you want - a colleague, customer, client, partner who loves you and will always support you. The idea is simply to position yourself so that you are better than before, that you have more understanding than before, and you know how to navigate towards your goals better.

This requires keeping a clear head about where you currently are and where you want to be.

MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH THE MARSHES
"To leave salt marshes, just hurry through - do not stay."
- Sun Tzu

For Sun Tzu, a marsh is a dangerous ground for an army to travel on. A marsh slows down movement and its insects can spread disease. As such, Sun Tzu's advice is to move quickly through marshes and stay far away from them.

In life, the same advice is true. Often times we get ourselves in metaphorical marshes -  sticky or competitive situations where we find ourselves trying to fight through them. We find ourselves in a big argument with someone, or in a long battle with a company's customer service department, or in a pissing competition with a colleague over implementing a new program.

What tends to happen in these situations is that we get bogged down by endless responses, what author Robert Greene calls "tactical hell." This person responds this way, we react and respond another way, and so on. In the end, we find ourselves spending so much time arguing or fighting without anything substantial to show for it.

Sun Tzu's advice is just as applicable for us as it was for the armies of his time: do not get bogged down by these situations. Act quickly to resolve them. Don't get drawn into an argument, and if you do, try to your involvement quickly. Don't get drawn into finding a solution through bureaucratic systems - try to find a quicker way elsewhere to get what you need, or, if possible, let go of trying to find a solution. If you find yourself competing with a colleague, then you've likely already lost. Cede victory and try to find another opportunity where you won't have competition.

Avoid petty battles or battles of ego. These will only suck up your time. Resolve conflicts as quickly as possible so you can get past them.

USE THE GROUND FOR ASSISTANCE
"This is the army's advantage - the assistance of the ground."
- Sun Tzu

For Sun Tzu, a winning army establishes readiness not by having the best supplies or equipment, but by understanding how to use the ground and its resources to its advantage. In difficult situations, it relies on what is available to it, not on resources it wished it had.

This is the same mindset you must adapt. Using the ground for assistance means using what is available to you to resolve the problems you face. Often in the face of difficult situations, we tend to focus on what we don't have - money, time, energy, know-how. Rarely do we take a break and think about what we do have available to us - patience, understanding, friends, the Internet, etc.

You must strive to be resourceful. Ask yourself: what resources or advantages do I have available to me? How could I use them to help deal with my problem?

You may not have the resources to completely solve your problem, but you can always make your situation better. And often times that is enough to get you through whatever difficulty you are facing.
~
In short, following these four rules will not necessarily give you the exact result that you were hoping for. You may not be able to get that promotion, client, job, date, relationship. But these rules will guide you in understanding how to reframe and benefit from your situation so that you can ultimately be in a better position than before.

And for Sun Tzu, knowing how to do that is the key to making yourself ready for anything that comes your way.

The following is a great story about Sam Zemurray, the American businessman who made a fortune in the banana trade, that details Zemurray's adept use of Sun Tzu's principles. This passage is from Ryan Holiday's bestselling book The Obstacle is the Way.

"In 1915, deep in the jungles of South America, the rising conflict between two rival American fruit companies came to a head. Each desperately wanted to acquire the same five thousand acres of valuable land.

The issue? Two different locals claimed to own the deed to the plantation. In the no-man’s-land between Honduras and Guatemala, neither company was able to tell who was the rightful owner so they could buy it from them.

How they each responded to this problem was defined by their company’s organization and ethos. One company was big and powerful, the other crafty and cunning. The first, one of the most powerful corporations in the United States: United Fruit. The second, a small upstart owned by Samuel Zemurray.

To solve the problem, United Fruit dispatched a team of high-powered lawyers. They set out in search of every file and scrap of paper in the country, ready to pay whatever it cost to win. Money, time, and resources were no object.

Zemurray, the tiny, uneducated competitor, was outmatched, right? He couldn’t play their game. So he didn’t. Flexible, fluid, and defiant, he just met separately with both of the supposed owners and bought the land from each of them. He paid twice, sure, but it was over. The land was his."
- Ryan Holiday, The Obstacle is the Way, p. 98

ANALYSIS
For Sun Tzu, the critical element in warfare is time. The longer you are doing battle, the more resources you will likely use up, including the momentum (shih) you need to overwhelm the enemy in battle. The quicker you are able to resolve a conflict, then, the more you are able to keep your resources and gains intact (quan).

Sam Zemurray's handling of the battle with United Fruit over the five thousand acre plantation, though simple, displays a keen understanding of this concept. While United Fruit was willing to spend a lot of time, money, and energy to resolve the issue, Zemurray understood that time and money was not on his side. Being much smaller than the giant corporation, he knew he had to act quickly to get this conflict resolved so that he could move forward and expand his business.

His solution displays precisely the five main qualities of a winning strategy (profitable, protected, easy, quick, and surprising), allowing him to achieve total victory (quan sheng) in this situation. Let's look at how:

1. Profitable. The upside to the strategy was obtaining the 5,000 acre land in dispute and build his banana trade business.
2. Protected. In buying from both locals, there was no case for disputing who owned the land. Thus, there was no real risk of losing the land through legal dispute.
3. Easy & quick. The strategy of paying both locals was fairly easy and quick to execute. It certainly didn't require hiring a team of lawyers to search for any piece of paper to resolve whose land it was.
4. Surprising. United Fruit certainly had the money to pay both men. But as a huge corporation for whom money and time were no object, they never thought of the possibility of paying two locals who claimed ownership. The solution, which would have been easier and quicker to execute for them than Zemurray, went right under their nose.

As a result of this strategy, Zemurray was able to gain the land and continue building his own successful banana business (Cuyamel Fruit Company). 

In trying to understand the Sun Tzu Way (TSTW), I like to use the metaphor of a path or journey. This is in keeping with the Chinese word for "the Way" (Tao), which translates to mean "road," "direction," or "path." TSTW is not simply a bunch of tools or techniques for solving the challenges you may face, but a continuous process of cultivating a sense of security, peace, and fulfillment (an) throughout one's life.

This process can be understood in three distinct phases, with each phase carrying the one before it, reiterating itself in a continuous cycle. These phases, each starting with the letter P, are

1. Purpose (yì). Understand what you are trying to do or achieve and why.​
2. Preparation (yú). Understand the dangers of pursuing your purpose.
3. Progress (jìn). Understand how to advance intact on the path.

Let's look at each phase in greater depth.

PURPOSE
"The Tao is commanding the people according to a higher, shared purpose. They can be given death or life, but they will not fear danger or betrayal."
- Sun Tzu

For Sun Tzu, war is the path (Tao) of survival or destruction for a nation. A nation can only really survive war if its people are united and in harmony with the intentions of the ruler. This is what allows soldiers to act with courage and trust, not fearing death.

To unite the people requires the ruler to develop and communicate a clear sense of purpose (what Sun Tzu calls yì) to the people - a compelling vision for the future. This purpose or vision is not simply about economic prosperity. Nor is it about developing a feeling of patriotism or nationalism.

Rather, this purpose is spiritual in nature, guiding people in developing an elevated and deep understanding of their place in the universe. Thus, for Sun Tzu, the ruler is not simply an administrator, but a spiritual guide.

As such, the first phase of following TSTW is developing a clear understanding of your purpose - what you want or were meant to do or achieve in life and why.

This is something you must think deeply about for your life. Cultivating peace and fulfillment in your life will be difficult, if not impossible, unless you have a clear sense of the direction (Tao) you want to go in life. You must ask yourself: What am I here to do? What am I trying to accomplish? What change am I trying to make? What do I want for myself and others? Why do I want this?

The clearer you are about this higher purpose, the clearer you understanding will be of how to manage the day-to-day situations, allowing you to better decisions that align with your overall sense of purpose.

PREPARATION
"Therefore, one who does not fully know the dangers of using the army cannot fully know the advantages of using the army."
- Sun Tzu

For Sun Tzu, developing and communicating a higher sense of purpose is only the first step. It may help establish harmony between the people and the ruler, allowing the ruler to command the people as a unified force against a powerful enemy, but that in itself is not enough.

War, by its very nature, is an economic affair. It sucks up valuable resources, including soldiers, weapons, time, money. The longer a war goes on, the more people will suffer and the weaker morale becomes.

For Sun Tzu, it is the general's responsibility to understand and evaluate the dangers of going to war and to prepare the army against these dangers. This responsibility is reflected in Sun Tzu's word for preparation, yú, which means "to worry" or "to anticipate." The role of the general is to worry about the dangers, to contemplate them, and to ready the army to deal with them.

This involves understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the army as well as the enemy and planning how the army will get the resources and capabilities it needs to defeat the enemy.

Similarly, the second phase of following TSTW - preparation - involves understanding the dangers involved in pursuing your purpose (yì). As I've written before, a core tenet of TSTW is that life is war. In a universe governed by chaos and competition, the universe will not simply stand aside so that you can achieve your life's purpose. It will provide obstacles to your path.

Your role, as general of your life, is to understand and evaluate these obstacles and prepare yourself in dealing with them. You must understand what your strengths and weaknesses are. You must understand what difficulties will likely arise if you take action to pursue your purpose. And you must develop a strategy that allows you to navigate these obstacles so that you can advance forward.

Ask yourself: What are the risks involved? What skills, resources, capabilities do I need to be successful? What do I need to know?

It is only by taking these precautions that you can take your sense of security (an) into your own hands, allowing you to cultivate it as long as you are on the path.

PROGRESS
"Therefore, [the army] is as swift as the wind; as gentle as a forest; as invasive and plundering as fire; as unshakeable as a mountain; as difficult to see as the shade; as stirring as a thunderclap."
- Sun Tzu

For Sun Tzu, preparation is what keeps the army protected, allowing it to conserve resources and build up a strong defensive position against the enemy. However, preparation is not enough to achieve a skillful victory over the enemy. To do that, the army must accumulate an overwhelming set of advantages that tip the balance of power in its favor. This set of advantages gives the army momentum (what Sun Tzu calls shih), which it can use to surprise and overwhelm the enemy.

For Sun Tzu, there are many ways the general can accumulate advantages over the enemy. These include building alliances with neighboring rulers; plundering the enemy's fields for food; capturing the enemy's soldiers, weapons, and equipment; taking control of territory the enemy has ignored; converting the enemy's soldiers, officers, officials, and even spies into his own spies; and luring the enemy with false baits (for example, misinformation) that take the enemy off his original course.

Using these advantages, the general effectively weakens the enemy's position, creating multiple avenues for attack. As a result, the winning army has such an overwhelming advantage that it is as if the enemy is already defeated. As Sun Tzu famously tell us, "the winning army first wins, and later seeks to do battle. The defeated army first battles, and later seeks to win."

Thus, for the third and final phase of following TSTW, our focus is on progress. Continual, unrelenting progress. Sun Tzu's term for progress is jìn, which means "to advance" or "to move forward." By continually accumulating advantages and eliminating obstacles in one's way, one continually moves forward on the path.

No advantage is too small. Every new connection you make, every relationship you strengthen, every client you acquire, every skill you develop - these all help you move forward in your path. Therefore, the quicker you can accumulate these advantages, the more momentum (shih) you can build, and the greater your chances of success. For this reason, speed (su) is an important factor - both for Sun Tzu's winning army and for you.

As a result, you want to continually ask yourself: What little advantages can I gain for myself right now? What opportunities can I jump on to help my situation? What obstacles can I remove from my path right away? What can I do immediately or in the near future to improve my situation? What can I be doing on a regular basis to gradually move forward?

The most important thing to remember is that progress is essentially about control, what Sun Tzu calls zhì. This refers to the ability to create positive outcomes and/or prevent negative ones.

What you are after is a greater sense of control in your situation. The more positive outcomes you can create in your life - e.g. wealth, love, health, joy - and the more negative outcomes you can prevent - e.g. poverty, resentment, anxiety, sickness, frailty, etc. - the calmer, more peaceful, more serene your life will be.

In other words, if you are not able to generate more positive outcomes in your life or prevent negative ones, then you are not progressing. So ask yourself: What am I able to do now that I wasn't before? Am I in a better position than I was before? Do I feel more in control of my situation?
~
In short, the three phases here describe the path of the Sun Tzu Way. Living a life of an - of peace, serenity, calm, security - is essentially a result of clear purpose, obsessive preparation, and an unrelenting focus on increasing one's sense of control.

Walking this path may not be easy, but with a 2,500 year old battle-tested philosophy to guide you, you cannot go wrong.