Leverage Changes Everything
Sun Tzu on the ball rolling downhill “Thus one need use but little strength to achieve much… one must take advantage of the situation exactly as if he were setting a ball in motion on a steep slope. The force applied is minute but the results are enormous.” — Sun Tzu Running a small business […]
Winning Sustainably
Sun Tzu on taking it all intact This morning, reading The Art of War, I came across this: “Your aim must be to take All-under-Heaven intact.” Simple but profound. Sun Tzu is saying that the ultimate victory isn’t destruction. It’s achieving success while preserving the resources, relationships, and value you aim to grow. Picture a […]
Winning More by Fighting Less
Sun Tzu on subduing without fighting This morning, reading The Art of War, I came across this: “For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.” The kind of wisdom that stops you in your tracks. Sun […]
Victory Isn’t the Finish Line
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 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 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 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 […]
Read This: Tiny Habits by B.J. Fogg
I read a lot of books about habits. Over the last fifteen years, I’ve read pretty much every popular one. They’re all helpful in different ways. The best of them is Tiny Habits by B.J. Fogg. If you’re a solopreneur or small business owner who wants to improve your daily routines without trying to overhaul […]