3 Lessons on Using Military Strategy to Build Better Habits

The book “The Art of War” is a famous treatise on planning, strategy, and leadership written by Sun Tzu, a legendary military man from ancient China. It has become very popular in recent years because its concepts about winning battles have been used in the business environment.

Tzu was the master of soft power and also the father of agile war. So whenever possible, he preferred to win without fighting or at least to win the easiest battles first.

He wrote: “He who knows the enemy and himself will fight a hundred battles without losing; for one who does not know the enemy but knows himself, the chances of victory or defeat will be equal; he who knows neither the enemy nor himself will be defeated in every battle. ”

Beyond the field of business, its teachings can be applied in many other areas, from starting a business to setting personal goals, such as losing weight and forming healthy habits. So we have separated some of the Tzu military strategies that can be used in your day to day life.

1. The battle for better habits

How many times have you tried to develop a healthy habit but failed? We all fight battles that harm us, such as smoking, procrastinating, or eating the wrong way. But what we do to get rid of these bad habits is to attack them at the point where they are strongest. For example:

  • We try to follow a strict diet while we go out to dinner with friends.
  • We try to write a book in a noisy environment.
  • We also try to eat healthily when the house is full of sweets and processed products.
  • There are those who try to do school or college work with the television on.
  • And we also try to focus using the smartphone (which is packed with social networking apps, games, and other distractions).

The problem is that when we fail to reach our goals, we blame ourselves for “not wanting too much” or not having enough willpower. In many cases, however, failure results only from a bad strategy.

Good military leaders start winning easy battles while improving their positions. They also wait until the enemy is weakened and his morale is low before facing him directly. So why start a war by attacking well-defended areas? Or, why start new habits in environments that hinder your advancement?

Sun Tzu teaches that he would never wage a battle on terrain that did not favor his army and would never attack the point where the enemy is strongest. Similarly, we need to make simple improvements to our habits first, establishing a better position and then "attacking" the most difficult changes.

2. Sun Tzu, the Master of Habits

It is possible to adapt Sun Tzu's teachings to the development of better habits:

  • Example 1:

Sun Tzu: "You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack defenseless places."

Adapted: "You can be sure of succeeding in developing good habits if you only develop those that are easy to maintain."

  • Example 2:

Sun Tzu: "Win who knows when to fight and when not to fight."

Adapted: "You can improve your behavior by knowing which habits can be changed now and which ones should be changed later."

  • Example 3:

Sun Tzu: “An intelligent general avoids confronting the enemy when his spirits are running high; look for it when the mood fades. "

Adapted: "An intelligent person avoids confronting areas where bad habits are strongest, but attacks where they are weak and easy to change."

3. Fight the battles you are destined to win

Becoming a better person is not just a matter of willpower but also of strategy. What people call a lack of commitment to change may be merely a failed attempt to build good habits in bad environments.

· If you are trying to read more books, do not do so in a room where your video game, television, and computer are accessible. Move to a quieter space free of distractions.

If you believe you need to lose weight, do not try to use an exercise program for athletes early on. Of course over time you can improve your skills, but this is not the most appropriate battle to choose from in the beginning. Take the first step with a less radical and easy-to-manage change.

If you are surrounded by discouraging people, work on your projects in a different location or get in touch with those who think like you and believe in your potential.

If you're trying to keep the habit of writing while your kids are at home and the environment is in chaos, try working on it at a different time. Build good habits simply, in places that favor this, and redefine your situation. So you create a game where the odds will be in your favor.

It sounds simple, but how often did you find yourself fighting hard battles while ignoring the easy ones? You'll have plenty of time to face the lions, so start with the hyenas first. The smartest way is to make improvements where there is less resistance. Fight the battles you are destined to win.

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