My Art of War

I am a geek. 

Most of you probably don't know this, but during my free time, I read and watch documentaries on ancient and medieval history. Yes, things that most people find boring. 

Judge me if you want.

Many may think that history is, well, history. Long gone and redundant. They are just fancy stories that grandparents tell to keep their children entertained. Well, they definitely entertained me when I was a kid but now I have come to appreciate the beauty of history.

One thing that keeps popping out in history is the struggle for power. Constantly, people fought and blood was shed for the sake of power. No matter the religion, language and color of the people, it's the same thing that drove people to war. (Ok, the other thing is religion but I shall not venture into that.)

Power hungry, you may say but it is still very much applicable in today's society. We may not go into a physical war like they did in the past, but the concept of war is still more or less the same. Battlefields no longer takes place in some valley or field, they are held in the business world. Undeniably colder. 

So after reading and watching so many history documentaries, I have come to notice certain patterns to successful war campaigns. It may or may not be entirely applicable in today's world but hey, this is my version of the Art of War (I have yet to read Sun Tzu's version but I think I should >.< ):

1: Pick Your Battles Well

Many people get overzealous and think that they should be involved in every battle, that they should make their presence felt in every battle. I think this is either being KIASU or working hard but not working smart. Let the others fight their wars. Don't get involved unless there isn't a choice. Entering a battle requires a lot of effort and money so pick your battles well. Forget about the minor squabbles, look at the big picture. Sometimes it's easier to eliminate your enemy after they are weaken from their battles which leads to my second point...

2: Be Patient

One classic example of how patience can help in winning a battle without much bloodshed is by starvation. Generals refrained from entering the battlefield but instead deny the enemy troops water and food supply and just well, wait. The enemy troops will start to get hungry and tired. This lowers the morale of the enemy's troops, weaken them physically and may even lead to an internal fight. After which, the enemy either gives up and go home or gets wiped out easily.

3: Find the Right Opportunity

Some battles in history utilised the same strategy and yet not all succeed. It comes down to the right opportunity. The ally of your enemy passed away or internal conflict within the enemy's team can be good opportunity for one to start sending troops over. Being patient and waiting for the right opportunity to strike is crucial but this is so incredibly subjective and relies on so many different factors, one has to have exceptional foresight to determine the right opportunity.

You may have an awesome idea and wonder why it isn't selling. Maybe the market is simply not ready for it. 10 years ago, SEA wasn't ready for YouTube. SEA is now. Maybe all you need is to modify the idea to suit the needs of the current market or just wait for the right time to release it. 

4: Know Your Enemy Inside Out

There's this Chinese saying that is obviously a quote from Sun Tzu's Art of War: 知己知彼百战百胜 (Know your strengths as well as your enemy's and you'll win hundreds of battles). Knowing realistically what your strengths and weaknesses are is probably the first step to achieving success. Knowing your enemy's strengths and weaknesses as well as yours, this is something many people fail to achieve. It helps to predict your enemy's next move so you can counter it. Of course, your enemy is probably also stalking you. LOL

5: Know the Battlefield Like the Back of Your Hand

So many battles were lost when troops were out-manoeuvred, simply because they do not know the terrain well. It is so important to know every pothole, stream, mud patch etc, of your battlefield because you can use that to your advantage. In today's world, know your market and industry well. Research is crucial. 

There are more points but this post will be too long if I list them all down so 5 points for now. 

Disclaimer

I am not claiming to be Sun Tzu or some history scholar, in fact I have never read Sun Tzu's Art of War. I am also NOT advocating war! These are just some of my thoughts that I mulled over after watching documentaries of ancient battles. Don't take them seriously >.< but do feel free to share your thoughts with me whether you may agree or disagree with me.