The Art of War: Summary and Words of Wisdom: ★★★★★

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Description:

Sun Tzu was a military strategist, and following his victories, he wrote "The Art of War," a collection of ideas and stratagem he had amassed during his conquest. It is a short read, and it is readily accessible. Today the book continues to be read by many and is regarded as a must read by many today.

My thoughts on The Art of War:

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Art of War." The book transcends its applicability to war and serves as an analogy for many of life's situations.

Throughout the book, many of the types of conflicts that he details can be compared to our own struggles. The book heavily reinforces the need for a great leader. As Sun Tzu himself writes, "Thus it may be known that the leader of armies is the arbiter of the people's fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation shall be in peace or in peril."

Sun Tzu also discusses the means by which to gain the advantage. In the increasingly competitive world, this is key to giving the much-needed advantage. Regardless of whether it is applied to sport, the workplace, or the job market, advantages gathered, however small, will help to improve outcomes for the better. 

Sun Tzu's Words of Wisdom: 

"Central Tian Shan mountains" by Chen Zhao is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license,
visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.

“Anger in time may change to gladness... But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being.”

Foremost, the dangers of conflict cannot be understated. To see conflict as anything but a last resort can bring senseless destruction and despair. When emotions dictate our actions, we can be hasty and illogical. Worse still is that this can lead to the damaging of our relationships. Even though those close to us are not our enemies, we sometimes find ourselves in arguments where we act out of emotion, resulting in outcomes neither of us want Allowing emotions to destroy relationships is something incredibly difficult to undo.

"Google Street View - Pan-American Trek - The Northern Rocky Mountains" by kevin dooley is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.

“Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow: decision, to the releasing of a trigger.”

Sometimes, myself included, we can overthink a decision and end up in a decision paralysis. The problem is that not making a decision is, in itself, a decision. It is therefore crucial to aim to be decisive. If we are not to use the energy, a decision will be made for us either by others or our environment. 

"Mountain" by Pat Dryburgh is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms,
visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/?ref=openverse.

“It is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been wone, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.”

This quote pushes the need for good planning in order to secure victory. Without a plan to achieve a goal, inspiration can quickly fade when obstacles arise. Instead, if you look at how you will achieve a goal and then set out to achieve it, you shall have a much higher chance of success.

How did this affect me?

These lessons from "The Art of War" have had a profound impact on my approach to life. They've encouraged me to think more strategically and reflect on my decisions carefully.

Continuing further, the book has taught me the qualities of a good leader. That he avoids unnecessary conflict, fires decisive action, accompanied with calculated decisions. As the book is short, yet dense in ideas, I have another article discussing what the book has taught me about the qualities of a good leader to come out on Friday. 

The verdict?

In conclusion, "The Art of War" is more than a historical military manual; it is a timeless guide to leadership, decision-making, and personal growth.

It is well-worded text that discusses how to approach war strategically and can be understood as an analogy for many aspects of our lives. Despite being over a millennia old, the ideas that protrude from this text are still very applicable in today's busy world. 

Given it's short length and it's richness of wisdom and concepts, I highly recommend this book to all who have not read it. Whether it is to improve leadership skills, to improve your own life, or to better understand military strategy and operations, you will not be disappointed with this book. 

The Art of War Free Audio Book: