Practical instructions from Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”

Yesterday, I decided to treat myself by going to Starbucks on the way to class. Unfortunately, I had to wait 15 minutes before my order was ready, causing me to run late. Finally, with my golden $7 oat milk-shaken espresso in hand, it was time to take the Hyundai drag racing! My struggle reminded me throughout our day-to-day lives, we must win many small battles. While society has rotated 180 degrees since the 5th century B.C., human behavior has not changed. We can seek advice on conquering our conduct or forming more productive habits in the ancient Chinese methodologies of Sun Tzu.

Sun-Tzu’s teachings have been referenced by scholars for over 2,000 years. While you might not be gearing up for battle soon, life presents many unanticipated challenges. How you approach difficult situations determines how easily you overcome them. Sun Tzu believed success requires following strict guidelines. We can apply Tzu’s guidance by defining our ambitions and making plans to carry them out. 

Five constant laws of morality

Tzu instructs we should govern ourselves with five moral laws; heaven, earth, the commander, method, and discipline. Successful leaders follow each rule. Failure to properly apply the rules will end in defeat. Although written two millennia ago, many of the methodologies discussed in The Art of War remain relevant today. 

One battle you may face where Tzu's teachings can be applied is interviewing for jobs. Job Interviews are intimidating, making it essential to plan. If you spend adequate time preparing, you will be more organized and confident than candidates who didn’t.

Tzu’s philosophy also endorses the value of deception, but it should not be understood as a green light for blatant lying. Tzu’s support of deception serves as a warning to be mindful when sharing plans. Say you intend to sell a revolutionary product you just invented. If you unwisely share details, other inventors may catch wind of the idea and choose to replicate it. To avoid this misfortune, Tzu advises practicing deception by not informing others of your intentions until you are confident in your ability to act on them. 

In addition to emphasizing strategy, Tzu warns us that ignorance will lead to our demise. Have you ever worked for a bad boss who made you feel insecure? If so, you’ve experienced the consequences of ignorance. That person who failed to respect you did themselves a disservice. While they may continue to profit from their position temporarily, Tzu enlightens us that ignoring employees’ needs will cause them to fail. 

Lastly, Sun Tzu highlights the importance of picking our battles. While persistence is important, it may be best to swallow your pride and move on if you have given challenges an honest effort and still cannot overcome them. Remind yourself that you can change course if you’ve struggled to find fulfillment in relationships or meaning in your work.

Aimlessly going through the motions may seem like a bridge to nowhere, however, you might walk off the cliff and land on the ledge you’ve been looking for. Tzu’s teachings are summarized in The Art of War. He shares powerful wisdom useful in both personal and professional pursuits. Ready to win your war on life? Click here to order The Art of War on Amazon and confidently march through obstacles!

Related texts: 

Lao Tzu’s Taoist Teachings

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