Sun Tzu's Warrior's Rules -- for Winning without Conflict

1. Positions and Opportunities > 1. Understanding Positions > 1. Position Dynamics > 2. Temporary Defense

Which of the following best describes concerns about your situation?

1. I need to understand the temporary nature of my current position
   1.1.1 Position Dynamics

   1.1.1 Position Dynamics

   "Positions turn around.
   Nevertheless, you must never be defeated." Sun Tzu's The Art of War 5:4:5

   Situation: 

   Since Sun Tzu teaches that all strategic positions are paths, we must see all current strategic positions as dynamic. While this sounds exciting, it really means that all positions are temporary. The temporary nature of strategic positions is a problem. It means that, given bad choices or just inactivity, our positions will naturally decline over time. It is easy to take our positions for granted. As unpredicted events arise that seem to help or hurt or help our position, it is easy to make the mistake of thinking that our position depends on luck. The problem is that we think of these events as good or bad in themselves. We do not want to admit that it is our decisions that put us in the path of those events that matters. We do not want to admit that our response to every event is more important than the event itself.
2. I need to understand the role and limits of defense in protecting positions.
   1.1.2 Defending Positions

   1.1.2 Defending Positions

   "You are sometimes unable to win.
   You must then defend." Sun Tzu's The Art of War 4:2:2-3
   

   Situation: 

   At its heart, Sun Tzu's strategy is based on simple economics. We get resources from our current position. We can use these resources to defend our position, advance, or extend it. These resources are limited. We must make choices about how we use them. The problem is that we can only advance our position when an opportunity presents itself. Until we discover that opportunity, we must maintain our existing position. We need our position because opportunities arise from our environment within the reach of our existing position. If we do not protect our existing position, opportunities cannot come knocking. Everything that has been part of our position in the past need not be defended forever, but we must always defend the parts of our position touch on future opportunities.