Victory Isn’t the Finish Line

Sun Tzu — avoiding complacency after success

Sun Tzu on what happens after the win This morning, reading The Art of War, this passage jumped out at me: “[Tu Hsiang] entered Nan Haio, destroyed three of their camps, and captured much treasure. However, P’an Hung and his followers were still strong and numerous, while Tu Hsiang’s troops, now rich and arrogant, no […]

Work Smarter

Sun Tzu — working smarter not harder

Sun Tzu on not starting from scratch This morning, reading The Art of War, I came across this: “The wise general sees to it that his troops feed on the enemy, for one bushel of the enemy’s provisions is equivalent to twenty of his… in transporting provisions for a distance… twenty bushels will be consumed […]

Hiring Smart

Sun Tzu — hiring for small business

Sun Tzu on what you risk by not hiring This morning I was reading the “Waging War” chapter of The Art of War, and one line stood out: “Those unable to understand the dangers inherent in employing troops are equally unable to understand the advantageous ways of doing so.” It made me think about a […]

Stop Getting Stuck

Sun Tzu — getting unstuck in business

Sun Tzu on what long delays cost This morning, reading The Art of War, I came across this: “Victory is the main object in war. If this is long delayed, weapons are blunted and morale depressed.” It made me think about how often this happens in small businesses. We pour time, energy, and money into […]