Strategic Thinking from Art of War Author Sun Tzu Relevant Today

Few writers from ancient times enjoy the same level of recognition as Sun Tzu, the famous philosopher and general from ancient China. Quotes from his timeless treatise the "Art of War" appear in popular culture and the whole book is frequently studied by business and military students around the world. Sun Tzu's "Art of War" presents thirteen chapters that describe how to factor in all important variables when trying to win a conflict. The principles can be applied to military problems as well as the challenges of the marketplace or even personal struggles.

The precise dates of the birth and death of Sun Tzu are not known, but history has verified his existence around the year 500 B.C.E. in China. Born of Sun Ping, a senior military officer in the state of Qi, Sun Tzu grew up with an education focusing on military affairs. At the time, it was common for Chinese generals to write about their philosophies of war, but it has been the work of Sun Tzu that has survived the ages. What made his "Art of War" so compelling that it is quite literally still in print 2,500 years after it was first inked onto strips of bamboo?

Part of the resilience of Sun Tzu's ideas comes from his success as a general. Ancient China was a complex chessboard of highly civilized yet warring states, and Sun Tzu enjoyed a respectable career within this challenging environment. Sun Tzu was in the employ of He Lu, the ruler of the state of Wu, who made him a general of the kingdom. In this role, Sun Tzu participated in numerous campaigns. His successes included the destruction of the Yue state, the territorial expansion of Wu, and the occupation of the city of Ying.

His successful application of his strategic thinking surely lent his literary work strength. His "Art of War" is not limited to narrow military concepts such as positioning soldiers on the field. Sun Tzu took into account all the forces acting upon a state. War is a tool of the state, and as Sun Tzu wrote, "War is a matter of vital importance to the state; a matter of life or death, the road either to survival or to ruin." But this crucial element of state power could not operate independently of diplomacy, politics, economics, geography, and philosophy. Each chapter in the "Art of War" explores these and other factors in detail and teaches that the application of military force must be used with a multidisciplinary approach. Geography is certainly given great emphasis because the actual land that is being fought over underpins military strategy, but it is not the sole consideration for a general.

Among the many sage pieces of advice that one can take away from the "Art of War" is Sun Tzu's insistence that war should not be started hastily, with optimistic assumptions, or without good intelligence. The stakes in war are too high for the state to lose, so therefore it must only employ its military tools when it can achieve victory. The economics of warfare is repeatedly stressed by Sun Tzu because of the heavy toll that maintaining an army in the field extracts from its society. War should not be the first tool that a state uses to gain its desired outcomes because it is so expensive.

In Sun Tzu's final chapter of his book, he opens with a statement that rings very true today as my own country, the United States, finds itself financing a prolonged war. From Chapter 13 "Use of Spies" Sun Tzu wrote:

"Now, when an army of one hundred thousand is raised and dispatched on a distant campaign, the expenses borne by the people together with disbursements of the treasury will amount to a thousand pieces of gold daily. In addition, there will be continuous commotion both at home and abroad, people will be exhausted by the corvee of transport, and the farm work of seven hundred thousand households will be disrupted."

Reading this, I am amazed by how little some things can change even after thousands of years. War is expensive, and its cost radiates throughout the populace supporting the army. This truth dramatically reveals the wisdom that Sun Tzu offered in his writing. From the "Art of War" a reader will gain a clear method for assessing almost any given situation and then planning a route to success. In his discussion of war, Sun Tzu teaches his readers to think about where they are, what they are doing, can they support what they are doing, do they know what they are up against, what is the easiest method for achieving their goals, and so forth. Sun Tzu continually reminds the reader (and during his life no doubt himself) that the state must not think about only what it desires without giving weighty consideration to outside influences. For individuals, this all inclusive way of thinking helps them to surmount the blinders that emotions often place on their actions. Obstacles to victory cannot be ignored. They must be dealt with thoughtfully.

The world of ancient China that Sun Tzu lived in might have been simpler in the sense of less technology, but the stakes of warfare were no less important than they are today, and the path to finding victory or success was no easier.

As a very short work, the "Art of War" can be read in an hour or two, but it will give readers something to think about for years. His advice sticks in the head. It might not be easy to follow, but Sun Tzu's famous statement that "every battle is won or lost before it is fought" serves as the ultimate reminder that victory comes to those who plan.

Strategic Thinking from Art of War Author Sun Tzu Relevant Today

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Become a Better You by Joel Osteen Gets an A on My Scorecard

So I just got done reading Joel Osteen's book "Become a Better You". It is a 320+ page book filled with information on, well, as the title suggests becoming a better you. I must say before I write my review here that I am Joel fan. I think he is easy to listen to and has a great message week in and week out.

Now I know many devout Christians do not like Joel for the reason that it is a non-denominational service that implements the works of the bible and Jesus Christ with everyday life such as goal setting, achieving success and so on.

To me I think what Joel is trying to do is absolutely what a lot of people need in this world. I think gone are the days of the teachings of Jesus Christ through brimstone and fire.

I was born to a Catholic family, attended Catholic school from kindergarten to senior year in high school and through those thirteen years, when I say brimstone and fire, they would teach you the works of Jesus Christ through saying that if you don't believe you go to hell, things like that. We can save that conversation for another time though.

For now I want to tell you about what I thought of Joel's new best selling book. It was definitely an easy read. I finished the book in less than two weeks, which for me is quite an accomplishment because for whatever reason I have never been a fast reader. In any event the book is an easy read and well written.

Each chapter clearly outlines a path on how to become better at relationships, life, and work, family you name it. At the end of each section, which is comprised of many chapters each, Joel gives you an outline on what to do to improve your life in those areas he just wrote about. You are given a series of steps to take, and questions to ask others and yourself. It is a nice outline to follow.

The book is filled with a lot of real life examples, not only in Joel's own life but from others that attend his church in Texas and watch his TV program. My thought is using examples to get your point across about anything is always a good way to get your reader's attention.

All in all I would give this book an "A". It was what I expected it to be, had a clear and defined outline on how to get where you want to go, and most importantly it related everything in the book with the teachings of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

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Become a Better You by Joel Osteen Gets an A on My Scorecard

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The Path to Personal Growth

Something that most of us come to understand is the path to personal growth. However our journey to that realization may be varied. Experiences in our day to day lives teach us the importance of paying attention to what we are learning from challenging and something painful situations. As we grow our experiences teach us to follow a path that may make sense at the time. As a young man, before I was introduced to a path of personal development, I probably looked at the world differently. At that time, I adopted the knowledge I learned from my friends, my family and even from experiences in school. My viewpoint then was the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. For many of my generation, our parents told us get a college degree, secure a great job and work hard and everything would be fine, that's what life was all about. But this did not work for me. For me, and others, we found that when life did not seem to work, this limiting philosophy was to blame.

I still remember the day my life was changed after listening to the tape of Mr. Jim Rohn. He taught me that rather than wishing life was easier, strive instead to be better. Face challenges in life by developing stronger skills. Look at challenges as the path to wisdom. What changed for me was the impact that personal development (PD) began to have in my life; I became devoted to mastering it in all areas of my life and making it my personal philosophy.

What about you? Have you given any thought to upgrading your life by studying PD?

Let me tell you it will take time and energy to create the habits of a stronger mind taking full responsibility for where you are going in life. So if you were to take that on what would that mean for you? Well for others it has meant being open minded, welcoming new ideas, establishing strong standards for your life. It doesn't happen overnight but surprisingly, putting one foot in front of the other you can get there. Who you become in the process is the part that is most exciting! An analogy that I love is the planting of a seed. It is something we can all relate to. Once that seed is planted it will grow, the roots may remain hidden under the ground for some time, but eventually the sprouts will burst through the ground and small green leaves will push their way through the soil and grow into twigs that become strong branches and eventually become a resilient and mighty tree. What went into cultivating that tree? It takes care, like water, sun, healthy soil, nutrients. Through the harvest, the foundation will come. No short cuts here! The analogy of the tree can be compared to the steps of Personal Development, let me share them with you now. The four principles that transformed my personal and business life are:

1. Endless possibilities come from new ideas obtained though a learning process of personal philosophy.

2. The necessary traits are a winning attitude, an inspiring life, empowering beliefs, enthusiasm, excitement and the willingness to make thing happen, rather than just wait for things to happen.

3. Combine the knowledge you have learned with action. Without taking any action your knowledge would be wasted. Nothing we suffer is in vain; it is all part of our growth to a more rewarding life.

4. Our results are always giving us feedback. By tracking our progress we can see the path we have journeyed Measure your results as a target for success!

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The Path to Personal Growth

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The Tragic Sense of Life, Miguel De Unamuno's Unique View of Immortality

Whenever doubt assails me, I turn to The Tragic Sense of Life and my faith is quickly restored. Faith, reason, the man of flesh and bone, and immortality of body and soul, are themes that Unamuno discusses with the ardent --fanatical I'd say-- hunger for God.

After such shoddy fiction as The DaVinci Code, and fake TV Documentaries (The Tomb of Jesus), I find solace, wisdom, respect for God, and much joy as I read pages upon pages of this beloved book--The Tragic Sense of Life.

Such heavy thinkers as Aristotle, Kant, Hegel, Spinoza, and Descartes, Unamuno views with distrust. Little value does he place in knowledge--gnosis, rationality-- going on the attack against Descartes' arrogance as well as Spinoza's atheism. Wither knowledge? He asks: "The end of man is to create science, to catalogue the Universe, so that it may be handed back to God in order...." he answers himself by quoting a thought from one of his novels.

Concluding that the man of reason and wisdom isn't the true creature that God created, but a shadow (or simulacra), he posits that the man that agonizes on a daily basis and craves for immortality is God's creation. Undisturbed by what scholars may think, he lavishes praise to man-agon whose lot is to suffer the dread of having been cast into an alien universe.

Like Dostoesvsky's irrational, irreverent, disdainful Underground Man who says, "After all suffering is the sole cause of consciousness," Unamuno, sees suffering as the flow of life in this real world. Thus, he prefers passion and suffering to reason, truth, and beauty. Suffering is the prelude to the ideal world of eternity where one returns to God.

Lesser thinkers such as Lucretius, John Stuart Mill, Freud, Marx, Sartre, and other atheists never felt the meaning of the word 'suffering.' Freud came close to understanding it when he said that religion comes about because of the human desire to escape death (The Future of an Illusion). That is partially correct. The ultimate truth is that men are the only beings that go through life knowing that death is a certainty--hence his lifetime suffering.

Those who are wise accept that certainty and find consolation in death as a return to God. Those who are knowledgeable seek more knowledge instead of acceptance and live to die alone; and what can be sadder than the utter desolation of a godless man or woman?

With unequivocal voice Unamuno rejects St. Paul's return to God where one is absorbed into peace and quiet for eternity. No, Unamuno says, the hunger we feel for immortality is for us to go on living in this life and in the other with full consciousness, the very same consciousness we own now. This is a daring view. This is the Unamunian never-ending longing for "a life in which each one of us may feel his consciousness and feel that it is united without being confounded, with all other consciousnesses in the Supreme Consciousness, in God."

Kindred spirits Unamuno finds:

Among the men of flesh and bone --the suffering ones-- there have been typical examples of those who possess this tragic sense of life. I recall now Marcus Aurelius, St. Augustine, Pascal, Rousseau . . . Kierkegaard, men burdened with wisdom rather than with knowledge.

You'll find some fine translations of this book, but I prefer J. E. Crawford Flitch's who has taken the trouble to add his own Endnotes. Believers as well as unbelievers could well profit from Unamuno's book.

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The Tragic Sense of Life, Miguel De Unamuno's Unique View of Immortality

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Warrior Wisdom - Ageless Wisdom For the Modern Warrior by Bohdi Sanders

I was fortunate enough to read an advanced copy of "Warrior Wisdom: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior" by Bohdi Sanders to provide an endorsement on back and inside cover. When the book came out, I read it again. It is that good! In fact, I can't say enough good things about this book, I enjoyed it that much.

First of all, it is readily apparent that Sanders and I have studied much of the same things over the years. While we have not studied the same martial arts, we have studied much of the same warrior literature that has been written over the years. This includes ancient texts and modern works. Because of this, I recognized many of the quotes Sanders has in "Warrior Wisdom."

Before I go further, this is a quote book, but also much much more than a quote book. There are 167 entries or chapters to this book. Each entry starts with a quote. It is many of these that I was familiar with. Quotes such as, "He is victorious who knows when and when not to fight" by Sun Tzu and "In order to progress in life, one has to improve every day in an endless process." From the Hagakure. If all this book contained was 167 quotes on warriorship, I would still have enjoyed it, and would most likely read it again and again at various times. However, Sanders did not just compile a list of quotes. After each quote, Sanders has written commentary on the quote and what that means to those living as warriors today.

I found myself many times thinking, "He nailed that; that's how warriors should think and act." It is very apparent that Sanders has taken considerable time studying and thinking on warriorship and what it means to be a warrior. His personal definition goes beyond someone who is in the military or who engages in war. His definition of warrior can be obtained without having to actually kill in battle, but to engage oneself in the war of life, and live with honor and integrity. Don't be fooled that Sander's definition neglects the traditional concepts of battle and warfare that is indeed found in the term warrior. Sanders believes modern warriors should train and be prepared to battle injustices and be able to defend themselves and others. However, developing character shines through in many of the commentaries. I agree with Sanders one hundred percent in that warriors must live by a higher standard and the standards he presents in this text, if adhered to, will make anyone, man, woman, or child a better person, a stronger force for good, and a powerful example of someone who epitomizes character.

I find myself now picking up the book periodically to read one entry, and not just read it, but to study Sander's commentary and ask myself if that is how I am living. Personally, I find my military service and my martial studies to be part of me, not just something I did or do. They are a way of life. Sure, that may sound funny to some, but for those that actually live this way, we know it is a powerful way to live. The warrior's edge that I write and speak about is just what this book is about. Its about living more powerfully with honor, integrity, and self-discipline.

I encourage anyone to read this text and focus on the character and self-discipline lessons Sanders shares. Incorporating even some of the advice into your daily living will make a difference. If you are a warrior, or desire to live as one, read Warrior Wisdom.

Alain Burrese, J.D. is a mediator/attorney with Bennett Law Office P.C. and an author/speaker through his own company Burrese Enterprises Inc. He helps people discover their warrior's edge through writing and speaking about a variety of topics focusing on the business areas of negotiation and success principles as well as self-defense and safety. He is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks, several instructional dvds, and numerous articles. You can find out more about Alain Burrese at his website.

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Warrior Wisdom - Ageless Wisdom For the Modern Warrior by Bohdi Sanders

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On The Genealogy of Morals - A Polemic

If you are interested in knowing about the birth of Christianity and about morals then the book by Nietzsche is the one you should read. The book is titled On the Genealogy of Morals and is a polemical work of philosophy. Published in 1887, philosophers worldwide have regarded this book as one of the best philosophical book ever made.

First of all, this book was made by Friedrich Nietzsche because his first one, Beyond Good and Evil was considered to be too complicated to understand and does not explain all about morals. The book, On the Genealogy of Morals is primarily focused on morality and its origins. It emphasizes more on Christian morality and moral prejudice.

In this book you will find three essays namely "Good and Evil, Good and Bad", "Guilt', 'Bad Conscience', and Related Matters", and the third essay is called "What do ascetic ideals mean?" As you can see, the On the Genealogy of Morals book focuses a lot about morality and Christianity. You have to consider that morality is quite a broad word to understand and many people have different morality.

You have to consider that many people have different perceptions of what is good and what is bad. Because of this, there will be a conflict of morality. In fact, this book has stated that humans don't even know themselves even if they have vast knowledge. In short, many people don't know what morality is and they have different ideals where it is difficult to understand what is moral and what is not.

Although there are laws about morality, you have to consider that it still conflicts with other ideals. There are different philosophies about morality and many people have different perceptions. What this book will explain is about the origins of morality and will mainly concentrate on the widely accepted Christian morality. As you may know, Christian morality is filled with different ideals that seem favorable in the human way of life. You have to understand that many religions have different morality. However, Christian morality is widely accepted because of its ideals and many people consider the philosophy behind Christianity is right.

For example, in the past people consider slavery as part of life and is part of their moral principles. However, as time changes and as society evolves, slavery is now viewed as immoral in modern countries.

This book also explains about the human conscience and regards it as the voice of God in man. As you read further on, you will see that guilt is also an issue in morality. For example, if you hurt a person or kill a person, do you feel guilt? Many societies today views hurting or killing a person as immoral and for good reasons too. The Christian values state that it is wrong to kill or hurt someone. Because of this education and this ideals that have been imprinted in one's mind since childhood, you will feel guilty about hurting or killing a person.

These are some of the things that you can expect in On the Genealogy of Morals. You have to consider that this book is quite hard to understand. You will also need to adjust to the philosophical way of thinking in order to fully understand the contents inside this book.

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On The Genealogy of Morals - A Polemic

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Book Review - Connections - The Five Threads of Intuitive Wisdom

Someone once asked Edgar Cayce if others could do what he did, and he answered, "Yes, if you are willing to pay the price." For some, this referred to the material sacrifices Mr. Cayce and his family made to pursue his work. Yet there is another level of meaning to his reply. Many of his statements about intuitive or psychic development pointed to the necessity for personal transformation, not merely the learning of a technique. One could learn the technique of automatic writing, for example, and produce works of wonder. Although Mr. Cayce acknowledged that automatic writing was a valid channel for bringing in new truths, he consistently advised people away from it and toward the alternative, alternative, inspirational writing. This latter method requires, however, more than learning the trick of getting your hand to write while you're not paying attention. It requires one to learn how to enter into the consciousness of an ideal, and then surrender to the flow of that awareness as it moves into the writing phase. The caterpillar doesn't become a butterfly by pasting on wings, but rather by allowing itself to melt into liquid which then crystallizes as a butterfly.

I've given students a taste of this kind of transformation through dance. Typically I use Cayce's favorite music for harmonizing, Strauss's "Blue Danube Waltz." Don't try to "do a dance," I suggest," but rather allow the music to dance you!" It is a fun way to explore the difference between making an effort to perform a trick and to enter into the mystery of oneness. In her book Connections: The Five Threads of Intuitive Wisdom (Tarcher/Penguin), Gabrielle Roth presents a similar self-transformational approach to intuition. The author, an artist of the dance and a respected exemplar of someone living the intuitive life, shares personal stories of her struggles, transformations, and discoveries. There is another life to live, more real than what typically passes for living, and there's a divine human being ready to live that alternative life, she writes, provided we can escape the addiction to the consciousness of the separate self that must be in control.

"To fully realize our intuitive abilities," she writes, "we need to be instinctive, intimate, intent, integral, and inspired. Each of these energies is a facet of intuition, our connection to the divine force that moves all things. The problem happens when we stop trusting its supreme intelligence, intelligence, when we allow our intuition to be overwhelmed and diminished by the loud, reactive defensive voices of the ego."

By instinctive, she means the wisdom of the body. A good example is the way the body can naturally move to music if it's allowed. Wisdom can emerge from the dance, as you can discover for yourself. When you are troubled by a situation and don't know what to do, if meditation doesn't help, try dancing! When you sit back down, exhausted and spent, you may be surprised to find that you now know how to move past your predicament.

By intimacy, she means the momentary dissolving of boundaries that create separations between ourselves and the life around us. Learning to listen, to experience a heart connection with other life forms, is a form of cooperation with life that supports intuitive awareness.

By intent, she means the ability to embrace change, even chaos, while knowing intuitively that one has an inner connection with one's destiny that will shake off potential mistakes and alert one to the symbolic cues life uses to call us forward.

By integrity, she doesn't mean being right or good, but rather she asks that we be real, authentic, not weakened by contradictions, but strengthened by the paradoxes we can accept. It's not about what we say, but what we are aware of within. Being honest with ourselves, having the innocence of a pure heart, gives us courage to trust intuition rather than doubt it and suspect it of personal contamination.

By inspiration, she means the intuition of Spirit. It is the ability to allow life to breathe you, to move you along your natural path of soul expression. Everyone has a purpose, a calling, a destiny. With intention we can set an ideal, and then allow the Spirit of Life to move us toward the fulfillment of that ideal. Very often life will take us to a new level of awareness, to an even greater ideal, provided we are willing to be moved. Once again, dancing to inspirational music is often a great awakener, a wonderful meditation on being moved by Spirit.

Gabrielle Roth's personal confessions - exuberant, earthy, wild, sensitive - of her experience with intuition echo the description of the spiritual path described in both idealized and practical terms by Edgar Cayce. More than learning intuitive skills, the goal is personal tr ansformation that allows one to "express the face" of the Creator in one's own individual manner.

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Book Review - Connections - The Five Threads of Intuitive Wisdom

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One Door Away From Heaven Book Review

Like many of Dean Koontz's books, this novel tells the story of several people whose lives intertwine in strange ways. It's a tale of fate, duty and hope, starting with a woman in need of help. Micky Bellsong is at a crisis point in her life. She is staying with her Aunt Geneva (an extraordinarily entertaining character) when she meets a young girl named Leilani. The girl soon reveals her terrifying homelife involving a killer stepfather and an uncaring mother, and before Micky has time to react to the news, the girl vanishes with her family. Micky soon finds herself on a mission to save Leilani.

There's another plot that follows a little boy and his dog, a journey that becomes terrifying even to the book's readers. Koontz tells this part of the story in the present tense, further intensifying the struggle. Of course, the boy and Micky eventually cross paths, and the world will change when they do.

I think One Door Away From Heaven will be well-received by fans of horror that yearn for just a little bit more out of their thriller novels. Koontz delivers action and suspense, yet at the same time offers philosophy and theories to his readers. This one is definitely a page-turner with a higher purpose. The book delivers fast-paced action along with some very serious themes, like assisted suicide and substance abuse.

I loved the feel of this novel. It was exciting and suspenseful, and it provided a really good message at the same time. Very well-written with a great plot and full of meaning. A perfect novel!

Every so often, I come across a book that I just need to share. Reading this made me want to buy a copy of this book for everyone I know. I think everyone should read this one. Upon finishing One Door Away From Heave, I felt really good about life, as a Koontz novel typically leaves me. I like that the author portrays a good message about life in this novel.

Some find Koontz difficult to read at times, due to his twisted plot lines and deep philosophical streaks. In the end, I think his novels are worth the read, particularly if you're in the mood to think about the deeper meanings behind life and our existence. For me, Koontz novels get better when he stopped following a formula. One Door Away From Heaven is truly a great read!

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One Door Away From Heaven Book Review

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