Four Sun Tzu-inspired questions I ask myself when trying to achieve success

"I, by means of these questions, know who will win or lose."
- Sun Tzu

For Sun Tzu, achieving success in war starts with asking questions and analyzing your situation. By asking the right questions and finding the right answers through investigation, you can develop a complete understanding of your situation and decide the right course of action.

From this, the following are four simple questions, inspired by The Art of War, that I ask myself regularly whenever I am trying to achieve success in something - whether it's a project, a goal, or a long-term aspiration.

Here are the questions:

1. What are you trying to do or achieve, and why? This question helps you clarify your purpose. Sit with this one for awhile. Don't move forward unless your answer feels right to you.
2. What dangers or risks do you face? List as many dangers and risks as you possibly can. For Sun Tzu, understanding and preparing for the dangers or obstacles you may face makes you stronger and more prepared.
3. What capabilities - skills, knowledge, resources, contacts - do you need to avoid or overcome these dangers or risks and move forward? Success, for Sun Tzu, doesn't come from luck. It comes from having the skills and knowledge you need to recognize and take advantage of opportunities.
4. What little things I can either do or stop doing right now to make progress? Progress is often achieved little by little, day by day. One more contact to add to your network counts. One less unhealthy food to eat today counts. One more positive conversation with your boss counts. One less mess in your house or office counts. Don't underestimate the power of slow progress. Of course, if you can do more and get more and you can do so quickly, by all means, you should do so. But if you are having a hard time starting, don't start big. Start small. Very small. And keep doing small things.

Don't be fooled by the simplicity of these questions. Ask yourself these questions often and you'll start to see improvement.