"Those skilled warriors of the past won where it was easy to win. Therefore, the victory of a skilled warrior is neither 'brilliant' nor 'bravely achieved.' Thus, his battle victory is without error. Being without error, his execution will succeed, having already won against the defeated enemy."
- Sun Tzu

In our society, we tend to praise individuals who have shown "genius" in their work, who have braved great risks in striving for their achievements, who never gave up in their relentless pursuit of success.

While these attributes (brilliance, bravery, persistence) are certainly admirable, surprisingly, for Sun Tzu, they are not what truly make up a winning strategy. For him, true victory in warfare is not the result of clever tactics, brave soldiers, or relentless persistence in the face of adversity. Rather, it is the result of executing a simple, well-calculated, and well-timed strategy.

In life, the same is true. The ideal winning strategy - one that allows you to overcome challenges and brings you greater control over your life - does not require incredible brilliance, courage, or grit. It doesn't require more education or taking huge risks or getting out of your comfort zone or never giving up, even if the path forward seems impossible.

Rather, it requires asking five simple, yet critical questions:

1. If successful, will the strategy be profitable (li)?
2. Is the strategy protected (bao)?
3. Is the strategy easy (yi) to execute?
4. Can you execute the strategy quickly (su)?
5. Is the strategy surprising (qi)?

You can think of these questions as a checklist to help keep you evaluate your ideas or strategies. 

Let's look at each question in greater depth.

Question 1: If successful, will the strategy be profitable (li)?
For Sun Tzu, a winning strategy must be profitable. In other words, there must be real, substantial, and clear benefits or gains from achieving the victory - otherwise the whole affair is pointless. These gains do not need to be huge, but they should be significant - that is, it should be clear how the gain will move one forward in achieving one's larger goals or aims.

For example, let's say you are considering a new diet/fitness approach. Before trying the approach, you have to do your research and determine if the benefits are worth it. Will they lead to the results you are looking for - e.g. lower body fat, more energy, bigger and more defined muscles, etc.? It doesn't matter how effective the new approach is if it doesn't produce the results you particularly are looking for.

Question 2: Is the strategy protected (bao)?
For Sun Tzu, a winning strategy is strongly protected against risk. That is to say, if the strategy were to fail, the losses should be minimal and easily manageable. Just as the profitability should be significant, the potential cost or downside should be low.

For Sun Tzu, the best way to make a strategy protected by keeping it concealed. The winning army guards itself by keeping its situation hidden from the enemy. It travels to places the enemy does not care about and presents itself as innocuous to the enemy.

With the diet/fitness example, ask yourself: is the cost of implementing the approach low? What is the downside? If I fail in using the approach, will I be fine? 

Question 3: Is the strategy easy (yi) to execute?
For Sun Tzu, the more steps involved in carrying out the strategy, the more complicated the strategy becomes. The more complicated the strategy becomes, the greater chance for error, since there is more risk to manage. And thus, the less easy carrying out the strategy becomes. A winning strategy is uncomplicated. The number of steps are minimal and the execution is simple and clear, so as to be "without error" (bu te).

With the diet/fitness example above, you must ask yourself: is the approach simple? Or is it complicated? Is it clear how and why it works? Are there a lot of steps involved in making it work? If it's complicated, requiring a lot of steps, the less likely you will be to stick with the diet/fitness plan.

Question 4: Can you execute the strategy quickly (su)?
Being simple, a winning strategy shouldn't require a ton of effort or steps, and therefore, one should be able to move quickly and unhesitatingly to execute it. For Sun Tzu, a quick victory is infinitely more preferable to a long drawn-out one. As he tells us, "[I]n warfare one hears of 'clumsy yet swift,' but I have yet to see 'skillful yet drawn-out.' No nation has yet to benefit from a drawn-out war."

With the diet/fitness example, ask: can I start applying the approach quickly? Will it take a long time to execute? Can I start right away? The longer it takes to start implementing or executing, the greater the likelihood you won't go through with it.

Question 5: Is the strategy surprising (qi)?
For Sun Tzu, a winning strategy always goes beyond other people's experience. It surprises one's enemies, catching them off-guard. Achieving this effectively in war requires two things. First, one must conceal one's positioning and movements (See Question 2). Sun Tzu calls this being "formless" (wu xing).

Next, when the right moment arrives, the army takes simple, quick, and coordinated action at a key weak point, catching the enemy off-guard. This will upset the enemy, causing panic and chaos and ultimately defeat.

Returning to the diet/fitness example, will I be able to achieve surprising results? Will I be able to see results quickly (e.g. in the next few days or weeks, as opposed to months from now)? Will I be impressed by what I see in the mirror, or with my energy levels? Will it help carry the momentum I need to stick with it over time? The less surprising the results, the less likely you'll be to stick to the plan.
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So there we have it: a winning strategy is profitable, protected, easy, quick, and surprising. In developing a plan for your next move or life change (e.g. getting a new educational degree, acquiring a job position, jumping on a business opportunity, starting a diet and fitness plan, etc.), you must ask yourself the four questions above to make sure it has these qualities. If they don't, you have some more work to do.

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.  

In military strategy (and martial arts in general), there is a powerful approach for engaging and subduing your enemy. In fact it is so important, it pretty much forms the basis of Sun Tzu's approach for winning battles. I call it the PrESS technique, which stands for:  Protect, Entice, Seize, and Strike. 

Protect means to ensure your defense is up and that you are prepared against any attack against you. This means getting in a defensive stance, making sure you have an exit, guarding your vulnerable points. Entice means to open up a vulnerability or opportunity that draws your enemy to attack you in a specific way.

Seize means to trap your enemy, either by grabbing him, ambushing him, or putting him in a vulnerable position where he is left unguarded. And strike means to hit your enemy at a vulnerable spot that injures him or takes him out.

Although this technique has its root in military strategy and fighting, its application can be used in many different areas of life where you are facing competition, conflict, or struggle. Let’s take a look at a simple example.

Let’s say you are trying to raise money from donors for your charity. Here’s one way to use the PrESS technique:

First, protect yourself against “no” by avoiding making a direct request for donation.
Next, entice your prospective donor by asking her simple requests that she can easily say “yes” to (e.g. writing her name down in support, coming to an event for free, subscribing to emails).

Next, seize the opportunity to connect, interest, and delight your prospect. Bring your prospect into a community, connect her to potential friends. Share your story.

Lastly, strike by asking for a donation, making the payment process as painless as possible. Once your prospective donor feels a part of a larger community and feels aligned with your objectives, she will be much more likely to donate.

I could go on and on about how to use this technique. The important thing to keep in mind is that engaging with someone else, especially where you think there is conflict, is a process.

It’s not simply a matter of directly arguing or asking them something. It’s a matter of opening them up to your ideas. The PrESS technique is one such method for doing this.