Taking 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 most advantageous position for an army is on the high, sunny ground, facing the enemy. This position offers the army the greatest amount of elevation and visibility, so that they can clearly see the enemy and their situation. 

The high ground is as much psychological as it is physical. It refers to a position where you have the most clarity, allowing you to cultivate a sense of stillness.

In life, we also have a high ground. The reason why so many of us feel lost in life is because we don’t have a strong sense of what’s true to us and what’s not. Your high ground is that purpose and truth.

To identify and take your high ground, ask yourself: What principle, value, or practice do I have that, when I follow it, always gives me a sense of clarity or purpose?

For me, taking the high ground comes often through talking to myself - literally - either by taking a walk by myself or journaling my thoughts. Because my mind is often very noisy, working out my thoughts through self-talk allows me to clear my head and focus.

For other people, taking the high ground occurs through physical exercise. When they exercise, they can see their life more clearly because moving their body helps them process their thinking.

For others, it may occur through meditation. Through deep breathing and clearing out mental clutter, they are able to become in tune with their purpose.

For others, it may be a matter of following your gut, or intuition. When they sense something is right or off, they must follow it.

For other people, it’s the scientific method. They have to observe – see, feel, hear – something for themselves, run experiments, test new ideas out, in order to gain clarity.

For other people, it happens through organization and preparation. They need to map out things, see them physically, in order to gain clarity.

Everyone’s high ground is different and may change as time goes by. The point is that you need something solid, something you know you can rely on, to give you that sense of clarity and balance.

That is the source of your power.