Written almost 2400 years ago by  chinese military general named Sun Tzu, a book call The Art of War discusses military strategies to win wars with the least bloodshed if not without even fighting. Even though each chapter talks about different skillsets related to warfare, it becomes relevant to even this modern day personal and professional lifestyles. The core principles might be valued in the following ways…..

    1. War has a high likelihood.

Battles will show up one day or the other at least once, regardless of your expectations. Has it ever happened when you think everything is going smoothly and something entirely else shows up as a disaster??? Expect the worst. War is always a possibility.

    2. Strategize to win with least effort.

Tzu believed in using strengths and resources of the enemy against them. You can not afford to fight a battle forever and giving it your all to win.

    3. Be picky when choosing your battles.

With limited amount of energy and thousands of battles to fight, it becomes impossible to win without choosing the correct war that is worth fighting. Also, try  to end the battle as soon as possible.

     4. Pay attention to the red flags.

Most of the urgent crisis or situations come up due to neglecting them in the first place. Starting from personal conflicts to economical collapses, all the wars show some form of red flags beforehand, which need to be considered and prepare yourself accordingly. OBSERVE, PLAN AND PREPARE.

    5. Know yourself and your enemies.

Your enemy here is your business or academic competitors, a problem you are trying to solve or even an interviewer for a job you want. The more you know about them, the better you can analyze and plan your strategy to win. Additionally, self awareness will help you prepare better according to your strengths and weaknesses.

      6. Avoid the strong points; attack the weak ones.

It is utterly useless to compete with people with the best features at the start. The strongest factors helps people to dominate the market and are almost impossible to fight. Instead, it is better to look for the weak spots or blind spots and attack with aggression. 

   7. Enjoy the harmony while fighting the war.

Life becomes a battlefield where we never stop fighting at least one battle. The tireless combats convince us to take certain things for granted. Maintaining the harmony between the peace and war is what makes life truly meaningful and enjoyable.