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 […]
Building Unstoppable Momentum
Sun Tzu on how the flow gets strong “When torrential water tosses boulders, it is because of its momentum.” — Sun Tzu In a business, the heaviest obstacles aren’t usually moved by brute force. They’re moved by momentum. Like water gaining strength as it flows, momentum builds over time and starts to carry things that […]
Every Move Matters
Sun Tzu on planning without waste “In planning, never a useless move; in strategy, no step taken in vain.” — Sun Tzu If you’re like most owners I know, you’re busy almost all the time. Being busy doesn’t always mean being productive. Days get filled with tasks that feel urgent but don’t contribute to long-term […]
Focus on What You Can Control
Sun Tzu and the Serenity Prayer agree This morning I read this: “That which depends on me, I can do; that which depends on the enemy cannot be certain.” — Sun Tzu The passage reminds me of the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to […]
Clarity or Chaos
Sun Tzu on what confusion costs you You know the feeling. The business is spinning its wheels. Everyone’s busy. Nothing moves forward. Instead of confidently working toward your goals, you’re putting out fires and reacting to the next thing in front of you. It’s exhausting. Most of the time it traces back to one thing: […]