Sun Tzu Philosophy To Modern Success Strategies

In ancient times, generals applied Sun Tzu's philosophy to war. Today, we use it to develop strategies for business, career, and life.

Sun Tzu's "Art of War" is a military treatise that teaches the ruler and commander the essential knowledge to win the war against their competition.

How do you apply Sun Tzu's philosophy in living successfully?

1. Assessing if you can win or not:

In Sun Tzu's philosophy, he talks about the need to identify what the factors are that determine or influence your success or failure. By determining what these factors are and comparing them with people in your surroundings, you will be able to assess.

With this information you have, you will be able to know if you can win or not. If not, then you will know what factors it takes to win.

As Sun Tzu said,

The art of war is ruled by five heavenly factors to be appraised in one's actions when determining the situation of the field.

These are: 1) Politics; 2) Heaven; 3) Earth; 4) The Commander; 5) Rules & Regulations.

2. Work Hard vs. Work Smart

Sun Tzu's philosophy teaches us to look for ways to achieve success by looking for ways to win the war with the least effort and resources. Sun Tzu is pragmatic.

For example, Sun Tzu said,

The objective is to be victorious in war; if it is a prolonged war, the men's weapons will grow dull, and their ardor will be dampened. And the siege will exhaust your strength.

In war, it is all about quick and decisive battles, not wars that drag on for a long time. Hard work and long efforts will tire you down and demotivate you.

That's why Sun Tzu's philosophy is to work smart by winning the war with minimal resistance. Here is what he said,

Thus, the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans; the next best is to disrupt the enemy's alliances by diplomacy, and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.

If you translate to modern times, if you "besiege walled cities," you will lose a lot of your men in the battle, and it is very hard to win. It takes a lot of your effort in your work or life with no guarantees of victory.

If you disrupt the enemy's plan, it takes you much less effort to win; that is called working smart because it takes fewer resources.

3. Cost Conscious

In Sun Tzu's philosophy, he teaches us to use our resources wisely and leverage others.

The skillful general does not raise a second levy of conscripts; neither are his supply wagons loaded more than twice.

Bring war materials from home, but forage on the enemy. And the enemy will have enough food for their needs.

Sun Tzu teaches us to use our resources like manpower and equipment wisely. All of our resources should be used to gain profits from the competition and to be used to continue the war.

You are considered skillful if you do not need or depend on returning to your home for more manpower and equipment, as what you already have is enough to leverage from the enemy resources.

4. Planning & Preparation

Success in life and business depends on opportunity and timing. This is done through preparation and planning. In Sun Tzu's philosophy, he says,

Good fighters in the past first put themselves in an invincible position and then waited for the opportunity to be victorious when the enemy is vulnerable.

A strong defense against the enemy lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy.

Sun Tzu wants us to strengthen our resources and skills so we are resilient. This is what we must do. However, to win against the enemy, it's all about timing and opportunity.

When the enemy makes a mistake or is vulnerable, then we must take the opportunity to strike at the right timing.

5. Adaptability

According to Sun Tzu, war is very dynamic, so many factors may change. It can be the weather, geographical changes, or movements of troops.

If war is dynamic, so are your tactics.

Therefore, like water, it retains no constant shape, so in warfare, there are no constant conditions.

He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning may be called a heavenly commander.

Sun Tzu's philosophy employs the metaphor of water to convey the necessity of flexibility and adaptability.

Just as water flows from the top to the bottom of a hill, moving through and slipping into cracks, one should adapt like the flow of water.

Much like in life and business, it's important to adapt, go with the flow, and make changes as you progress.

6. Being Patient & Calm

Sun Tzu emphasized the significance of meticulous planning, maintaining composure, and exercising patience. He advised initiating an attack when a favorable opportunity presents itself.

The enlightened ruler plans well ahead; the good general carries out the plans.

Do not move unless you see a benefit; don't use the troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless in a desperate position.

No ruler should put troops into the field because of his anger; no general should fight if he is agitated.

Similar to life or business, it's important to remain calm and patient. We should wait for the right opportunity, as it will eventually present itself. Acting impatiently can lead to trouble, and mistakes made due to impatience may result in losses that are difficult to recover.

7. Victory without fighting

The core Sun Tzu philosophy is to gain victory without fighting. Sun Tzu emphasizes the use of politics, economic warfare, or diplomacy as a strategy to subdue the enemy.

Sun Tzu says,

Those who do not understand the damages of war cannot thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it out.

Just as in life and business, success can be achieved through easier methods without the necessity of being aggressive and working tirelessly. Be open to exploring other potential options. You might be surprised by the solutions available.

Sun Tzu Philosophy on Modern Success

Life isn't solely about constant hustling and enduring hardships. Sun Tzu teaches that every challenge has a solution.

Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" is a 2,500-year-old text that discusses various conflicts from the Spring and Autumn period in ancient China.

Sun Tzu's philosophy is not fictional or fabricated. It is the result of the tumultuous times he lived through and the experiences he gained.

"The Art of War" by Sun Tzu is a reflection of his personality, character, experiences, and the lessons he learned.

Learn The Art Of War.