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 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. 

"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.

Understanding how the philosophy behind The Art of War can apply to your life can be tricky. Though the book is fairly accessible, it is easy to miss the philosophical depth and practical wisdom behind the aphoristic or common-sensical style of the text.

The truth is, Sun Tzu's philosophy is based on the successful strategies of skilled warriors throughout Ancient Chinese history. It is based on tried and true methods that offer practical insight for everyday life.

In studying and applying Sun Tzu's The Art of War for over twenty years, I've come to realize that his battle-tested philosophy is built on three simple, yet fundamental propositions, or claims, each one building off the one before. These propositions can be stated as follows:

1. All life is struggle.
2. Achieving and maintaining true happiness in life comes from cultivating a sense of an - that is, a deep sense of peace, calm, and security with one’s place in life.
3. Cultivating a strong, stable sense of an in life requires a commitment to following the path (fa) of the skilled warrior (shàn zhàn zhě).​

Let's look at each proposition in greater depth.

Proposition I: All life is struggle.
For Sun Tzu as well as the Ancient Chinese, all processes and systems in the universe are essentially governed by chaos (luan). Such chaos, however, is not the absence of order. Rather, it is the absence of stable orders. A great example of this is the weather (what Sun Tzu calls  Tian, or "Heaven"), which, though unpredictable, produces powerful orders of force like hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards.

Some orders in the universe may be short (such as the life of a fly), and some may be extremely long, like the life of a star. But regardless, any order in the universe is transient and ever-changing, the result of an underlying chaos - the random movement and interaction of atomic particles.

Scientifically speaking, chaos can be defined as an overall expression of the second law of thermodynamics - i.e. that all processes tend towards equilibrium, increasing the level of entropy, or disorder, in all systems. The continual increase of entropy in a system creates instability within the system, causing the system itself, as well as any systems connected to it, to continuously change.

Such instability inherent in the world produces continual challenges, conflict, and competition for all living beings, including human beings, who are both dependent upon the system in which they live and agents with a degree of control, however small, within this system.

These struggles occur for the individual both internally (physiologically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually) and externally (survival, relationships, government, etc.). We struggle with our coworkers, our spouses, our children, our bosses, our competitors. We struggle with organizing our lives, staying productive, getting healthy and fit, overcoming anxiety and self-doubt, controlling our finances, starting and finishing projects, staying focused, finding time for ourselves, and so on.

Life, therefore, is a daily, unceasing war.

Proposition II: Achieving and maintaining true happiness in life comes from cultivating an - that is, a deep sense of peace, calm, and security with the place one is at in life.
The goal of philosophy - it is generally agreed - is to guide one in living a truly happy, fulfilling life. Ancient philosophers have argued about what makes one truly happy - from following a life of pleasure (Epicureanism) to living a life of virtue (Stoicism) to harmony with one's environment (Taoism) to enlightenment and self-discipline (Buddhism).

The Sun Tzu Way introduces a new way of understanding the path to happiness, one that stems from Proposition I above - that life is struggle.

As animals that have evolved within this system of chaos and struggle called life, we have a deeply embedded need for a sense of stability and control in our lives, what scientists refer to as allostasis. We all strive to feel a sense of peace, calm, and security in our lives - what Sun Tzu refers to as an.

This need for an forms the basis for our sense of happiness and fulfillment. In general, when we do not feel in control of our lives - over our relationships, our circumstances, our future - we feel miserable, which is both psychological and physiological. When we do not feel in control of our ability to satisfy basic needs (shelter, safety, comfort), our personal needs (love, growth, certainty), and our spiritual needs (purpose, self-actualization, contribution), we feel unhappy and unfulfilled.

On the other hand, when we feel in greater control over lives - over our ability to manage and satisfy these human needs - we feel happier, calmer, more stable, more secure.

In short, happiness is not the result of following a life of pleasure or excitement. Nor is it about achieving great things or even having mastery of oneself. While these aspects are valuable in enhancing our sense of happiness, the goal of life is producing a stable state of an - of calm, peace, security.

Of course, an is not something one achieves once and it remains one’s whole life. Rather, it is something that needs to be cultivated and deepened regularly as change is a constant part of life.

Proposition III: Cultivating a strong, stable sense of an in one’s life requires adhering to the code (Fa) of the skilled warrior (shàn zhàn zhě).
The big predicament we face in striving to cultivate an is that life is constantly changing. Resources become more or less available, competition increases, and thus, maintaining a sense of stability and control can be tricky.

As such, if philosophy is going to be a guide towards living a happy, fulfilled life, then we need a philosophy that realistically allows us to increase our sense of control over lives. This is where the Sun Tzu Way comes in.

Sun Tzu's The Art of War was written to guide rulers and generals in managing their nation in the face of chaos and instability. At the time the text was written, China was broken up into different states, with each state shifting alliances and attacking each other due to survival (if a smaller state) or power over the other states (if a larger state).

Thus, a state is in a constant state of anxiety, especially if they are smaller. As a ruler, you would never know who your ally or enemy was. Alliances were constantly forming and threats could loom from anywhere. If you were a small state, you could easily be swallowed up by a larger state if you were not careful.

For this reason, The Art of War was written to give rulers the principles for conducting war under these conditions, particularly if you are a smaller state. It advises rulers, and their generals, to follow the path (fa) of the skilled warrior (shàn zhàn zhě).

The phrase "skilled warrior" is Sun Tzu’s term for generals in the past who were able to achieve subtle, simple, and relatively bloodless victories that ultimately served to make their nation stronger and more secure. Sun Tzu calls these types of skilled victories quan sheng - or “total victories.”

Sun Tzu's military philosophy serves as the basis for understanding our own lives. Like the rulers in Sun Tzu's time, we also face a dynamic competitive, ever-changing world. We struggle to maintain a continual sense of stability and control that satisfies our mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. By analogy, therefore, we can benefit from also following the principles and tools of the skilled warrior. This is the source of the Sun Tzu Way.

With the Sun Tzu Way, following the way of the skilled warrior in life means determining which struggles are worth one's time, which to avoid, and how to deal with any struggle one must face so that one ends up better, more secure than before. This is how you consistently create total victories, or quan sheng, in your own life.

In its deepest form, the way of the skilled warrior follows a distinct code, which has five key components:

1. Following the path. This involves understanding the way (Tao) of cultivating an. This way unfolds in three distinct stages, or phases - purpose (yi), preparation (yu), and progress (jin).
2. Honoring the values. This involves understanding the ideal qualities you are aiming to bring about for yourself and others in following the path. These values are clarity (ming), readiness (dai), and wholeness (quan).
3. Observing the principles. This involves understanding how to deal with the obstacles, struggles, and opportunities that will inevitably come along your way as you follow the path. These principles are cohesion (he), concealment (cang), and control (zhi quan).  
4. Cultivating the virtues. This involves understanding the qualities you need to be a strong leader and to stay committed to walking the path. These virtues are wisdom (zhi), credibility (xin), compassion (ren), courage (yong), and discipline (yan).
5. Mastering the way. Lastly, this involves developing the toolset - the knowledge, skills, and capabilities - necessary not simply to follow the path, but thrive on the path. This toolset consists of the three disciplines of war - calculation (ji), positioning (xing), and timing (jie).

The way of the skilled warrior serves to ensure that we achieve, in all our major struggles, quan sheng - that is, victories that leave us better off after a challenge or struggle than we were before. This is key to cultivating and enjoying  a life of an - peace, calm, and security.

Such is the Sun Tzu Way.

The Sun Tzu Way is, at its core, a philosophy of life. It provides a practical framework that users can use to not only overcome the challenges they face in life, but live a better life - one that is filled with greater calm, serenity, and happiness.

In studying The Art of War and developing my own understanding of the Sun Tzu Way, I've come to realize that there are five core tenets of the Sun Tzu Way. While belief in these tenets is not necessary by any means in order to utilize the principles and strategies, these tenets help provide a foundation for understanding why the Sun Tzu Way is so powerful and relevant to our lives.

These five tenets, in short, are

1. Change is inevitable.
2. Life is war.
3. There's no such thing as absolute control.
4. Every action bears a cost.
5. Strategy is the Way.

Each tenet relates in some way to one of the five factors that influence or determine your situation. Let's review each tenet in greater depth.

Tenet 1: Change is inevitable.
For Sun Tzu, change is a natural, inevitable feature of life. Indeed, the word Sun Tzu gives for the factor that governs change is Tian, or Heaven. Thus, the forces of change are like ordained by the gods - completely beyond our control. It is responsible for the rotation of the seasons, the weather, the temperature, and the time of day.

In your own life, change is also inevitable. Every day, you grow older, and so do the people around you. The habits, thoughts, and opinions you had when you were younger will certainly transform as you get older. The tastes or fads that were popular in your culture will eventually be replaced or transform. 

For Sun Tzu, change can either be the source of weakness, if you're not prepared, or opportunity, if you are. Thus, the skilled warrior (shàn zhàn zhě) of life not only accepts change, but embraces it. She sees in it the opportunities for growth and security - but only if she is prepared.

Tenet 2: Life is war.
The nature of change leads us to our second tenet: that life itself is war. Because change is the source of opportunities, competition is a natural consequence. People will always compete for better opportunities, especially if their situation has been worsened by change.

In addition, we are naturally resistant to change. While change is natural and the source of opportunities, it also brings with it danger and risk. Not all change is good, even if it is inevitable. Thus, conflict is also a natural consequence to change.

As such, the factor that governs this tenet is the Ground. The Ground, for Sun Tzu, encompasses both what we compete on and what we compete for. It influences our situation and determines the quality of our options.

In your own life, it is easy to see that life is full of struggle. We struggle with the people in our lives, our circumstances, even our own selves. We struggle to learn, to change our attitudes, to advance our careers. Everything is a struggle in life. This is inescapable.

The skilled warrior of life embraces this fact. He prepares his mind to deal with the challenges he inevitably is going to face. He knows that with every struggle he overcomes, another one is around the corner. So he is always vigilant, always careful about the struggles he faces.

Tenet 3: There's no such thing as absolute control.
For Sun Tzu, in war, one can never have absolute control over anything - one can only have more or less control in a situation than the enemy. Even more, if one has the ability to control what the enemy perceives, then one has greater control, or influence, over the enemy's decision-making.

Thus, for Sun Tzu, control is a matter of degree and largely a matter of perception. We cannot completely control our situation, but we can gain advantages that give us more control or influence over our situation. To whatever degree we can increase our control, the better the outcome will be for us.

The factor that guides this tenet is the General. Because the General controls the decision-making of the army, he must continually evaluate his options and make choices that gradually increase the army's ability to control its fate. He must constantly look for opportunities brought on by Heaven and calculate the best time to move forward.

In your own life, the same idea runs true. While your actions and thoughts are, to a degree, within your control, this control is not absolute. Your thoughts, your actions, your emotional responses, your values - these are heavily influenced by forces beyond your control. These forces are biological, social, psychodynamic, cultural, historical, institutional, and economic. Your choices are never completely your own.

On the flip side, you have more control or influence over your environment than you think. The things you say and do can affect others in profound ways. You are as much a part of your environment as it is a part of you.

The skilled warrior of life does not seek absolute control, not even over herself. Rather, she accepts that the vast majority of forces in her life are outside of her control. What she focuses on is how to exercise the control she knows she has so that she can gradually increase it. The motto she follows in life is: "Strive to end up better than before." 

Tenet 4: Every action bears a cost.
For Sun Tzu, running and mobilizing an army costs resources. Not just money, but time, effort, equipment, weapons, and even lives. This is another reason why life is war: resources are limited. This increases the need for competition.

For Sun Tzu, the factor that governs this tenet is Methods. The wise and disciplined general understands how to manage his resources, including money, lines of communication, and his soldiers. His organization is focused on efficiency and effectiveness, using the enemy's resources when possible to not only supply his men, but to make war more expensive for the enemy. He uses training and simple communications to avoid confusion. And he avoid direct conflict with the enemy as much as possible.

Likewise, in your own life, you need Methods that support what you are trying to do. You need efficient and effective practices, systems, principles, and techniques that you can rely on in different situations.

Developing the efficient and effective methods requires education. It requires study and access to information. Thus, the skilled warrior of life understands that information is an expense that is always worth paying when it comes to reducing costs. He always seeks intelligence before making decisions and uses the appropriate methods based on this.

Tenet 5: Strategy is the Way.
The need for increasing control and managing costs is what makes strategy an essential tool for moving from where you are to where you want to be. For Sun Tzu, strategy is the bridge between aspiration and action. It outlines not only what you're trying to achieve, but how you understand you will get there. It determines your priorities and guiding principles.

The factor that governs this tenet is Tao, or the Way. The Way guides the Methods as well as the General's understanding of the Ground and Heaven. It is the unifying principle that brings the soldiers, officers, general, people, and rulers together, giving meaning to the war they are facing and what is at stake.

In your own life, strategic thinking is just as important for you as it is for Sun Tzu's general. You are the leader of your life. You need to make choices that maximize your control and serve your overall aspirations. You need to understand what is at stake with every struggle you face. You need to take strategy seriously.

The skilled warrior of life understands that to achieve her goals and aspirations, she needs to think strategically. She always strives to understand the obstacles in her path and is willing to be ruthless in trying to eliminate them. She doesn't make excuses for why she is not progressing. Rather, she adjusts her understanding and adapts to the situation.

That is the way of the skilled warrior.