Maneuvering

1. Sun Tzu said: In war the general receives his commands from the
sovereign.

Everyone has a boss. (Real world example: The student follows the teacher
who follows the principal who follows the superintendent who follows the
school board who follows the state government who follows the national
government who follows the people's demands).

2. Having collected an army and concentrated his forces, he must blend and
harmonize the different elements thereof before pitching his camp.

After raising support, one must remain loyal to himself as well as his
supporters. These two should coexist. (Real world example: You don't take a
job for a company who's philosophies you don't support, but then again, you
don't live in poverty, you should make sure that you have a job that mostly
coexists with your beliefs).

3. After that, comes tactical maneuvering, than which there is nothing more
difficult. The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the
devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain.

Make sure the actions you take turn what you don't want into what you want.
(Real world example: Even if a company holds deficit, every action it takes is
still to try to make profit).

4. Thus, to take a long and circuitous route, after enticing the enemy out of
the way, and through starting after him, to contrive to reach the goal before
him, shows knowledge of the artifice of deviation.

After gaining an advantage on your competitor, stay ahead, and win. (Real
world example: In a wrestling match, the goal is obviously to pin your
opponent. However, some little guys who are you know, able to, will bring
their opponent down with a shot to score two points, and let them back up
and do it again and again until they reach 15 points to win).

5. Maneuvering with an army is advantageous; with an undisciplined

multitude, most dangerous.

Make sure your decisions are capable of working, and just fantasies because
you don't have the resources to achieve them. (Real world example: Saying
you will write 13 reviews, easier said than done, take my word on that one).

6. If you set a fully equipped army into march in order to snatch an

advantage, the chances are that you will be too late. On the other hand, to
detach a flying column for the purpose involves the sacrifice of its baggage
and stores.

If you take time to chase opportunity, chances are someone who is faster than
you will already have grabbed the same opportunity. (Real world example: If
you are given the option to record music professionally, you need to work
hard to write and produce as much music as possible, so people become
familiar with your name and work ethic).

7. Thus, if you order your men to roll up their buff-coats, and make forced
marches without halting day or night, covering double the usual distance at a
stretch, doing a hundred li in order to wrest an advantage, the leaders of all
your three divisions will fall into the hands of the enemy.

However, the same goes if you work too hard to take advantage of an
opportunity. If you overload on getting work done, you won't succeed
anymore. (Real world example: Elton John is still producing music after 50
years, and at this point it doesn't sound crisp and precise to me. He has
produced so much, that not many bother listening anymore, while Billy Joel
retired into classical music in the 90's, because he felt he had said all that he
had felt he needed to).

8. The stronger men will be in front, the jaded ones will fall behind, and on
this plan only one-tenth of your army will reach its destination.

To discriminate your resources by value, causes minimum success.

Discriminate based on circumstance. (Real world example: You have the
choice between a piece of meat, or winning a million dollars on an island
where only you reside as you have been ship wrecked. The million dollars is
definitely holds more value elsewhere, but in these circumstances it is
useless).

9. If you march fifty li in order to out maneuver the enemy, you will lose the
leader of your first division, and only half your force will reach the goal.
10. If you march thirty li with the same objective, two-thirds of our army will
arrive.

If you work to hard, just to win, but not to gain profit. You will gain deficit.
(Real world example: A stock investor does not try to "out-invest" other
investors, but rather gain profit for himself).

11. We may take it then that an army without its baggage-train is lost; without
provisions it is lost; without bases of supply it is lost.

Without your fundamental skills and abilities, you have no means to take
opportunity. (Real world example: The opportunity to perform a piano
concerto at Carnegie hall is useless to a visual artist).

12. We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of
our neighbors.
Don't trust people until you understand their strengths and weaknesses, and
skills and abilities. (Real world example: A millionaire needs to be careful
who he surrounds himself with, if he is not careful, his money could be
stolen).

13. We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with
the face of the country - its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices,
its marshes and swamps.

Do not engage in solving a problem unless you are familiar with the problem.
(Real world example: Don't try to stop an armed robbery if you have no
experience as a cop).

14. We shall be unable to turn natural advantage to account unless we make

use of local guides.

You cannot use advantages unless you are familiar with your circumstances.
(Real world example: You go to write a book, but you don't realize that you
are unable to be creative).

15. In war, practice dissimulation, and you will succeed. Move only if there is
a real advantage to be gained.

Always work to gain advantage, nothing more or less.

16. Whether to concentrate or to divide your troops, must be decided by

circumstances.

Make decisions based on circumstance.

17. Let our rapidity be that of the wind, your compactness that of the forest.
Make decisions quick, and keep your advantages to yourself. (Real world
example: A defense lawyer must decide what to say in response to a
prosecuter based on what they argue).

18. In raiding and plundering be like fire, in immovability like a mountain.

When you have an option to beat your competitor, show no mercy. When you
have the option to defend, be strong. (Real world example: A business man
buys out his competition to make profit, and does everything physically
possible to keep from being bought by his competitor).

19. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move,
fall like a thunder bolt.

Keep your thoughts and secrets hidden until the last minute. Shock your
opponent off guard by revealing them. (Real world example: Supercomputing
did not reveal he was working on mining with GPU until after he was already
dominating the mining queue).

20. When you plunder a countryside, let the spoil be divided amongst your
men; when you capture new territory, cut it up into allotments for the benefit
of the soldiery.

Pay those who have helped you gain profit a sum that is proportional to the
amount of help they provided. (Real world example: A secretary earns less
than a CEO, but most likely more than a janitor).

21. Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.

Think things through before doing them. (Real world example: You do not
just decide to buy the first house a realtor shows you when searching for a
home, but rather you weigh the house's flaws verses its benefits. Is it in a
good school district? Does it have a yard with enough space?)

22. He will conquer who has learned the artifice of deviation. Such is the art
of maneuvering.

You will succeed if you know how to change your plan quickly, but in an
organized way when circumstances change. (Real world example: You might
want to be a musician, but to pay the bills you need to teach history and work
on music on the side until you can support yourself with the career you are
passionate about. Here is an article my dad wrote about that).

23. The Book of Army Management says: On the field of battle, the spoken
word does not carry far enough: hence the institution of gongs and drums.
Nor can ordinary objects be seen clearly enough: hence the institution of
banners and flags.
24. Gongs and drums, banners and flags, are means whereby the ears and
eyes of the host may be focused on one particular point.

Use short cuts and tricks to achieve your goals quickly with as little error as
possible. (Real world example: A Spanish business owner will most likely
only hire employees that speak Spanish to ensure that his business succeeds).

25. The host thus forming a single united body, is it impossible either for the
brave to advance alone, or for the cowardly to retreat alone. This is the art of
handling large masses of men.

No matter the task, every job is needed for any organization to survive, and
communication amongst the different members of each individual rank. (Real
world example: The United States federal government cannot function
properly unless all three branches are working correctly [president can't make
laws, congress can't enforce them]).
26. In night-fighting, then make much use of signal-fires and drums, and in
fighting by day, of flags and banners, as a means of influencing the ears and
eyes of your army.

Use communication based on circumstance. (Real world example: A

government employee with high clearance should not send classified data on
an un-secure email server, or personal emails on a government server).

27. A whole army may be robbed of its spirit; a commander-in-chief may be

robbed of his presence of mind.

Don't let you or those around you become detached and not interested in the
end goal. Always think in terms of achieving your goal. (Real world example:
When writing an Art of War review it is hard to not get distracted and watch
Netflix instead, I keep my mind set on finishing the article).

28. Now a soldier's spirit is keenest in the morning; by noonday it has begun
to flag; and in the evening, his mind is bent only on returning to camp.

In the beginning it is easiest to want something, and by the end it is hardest.

(Real world example: It's easy to say you want to become a singer, but those
who succeed are those who learn everything to know about intellectual
property, proper technique, instruments they don't care to play, and live where
they don't care to live. If they remain persistent they will surely taste some
form of success).

29. A clever general, therefore, avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but
attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return. This is the art of studying
moods.

Seek opportunity when those around you are too lazy to. Rather than compete
with them, be more persistent than them, and weather the storm. (Real world
example: Billy Joel slept on the floor of a laundromat for the first seven years
of his career, and even after making his first few albums and experiencing
little success, he continued to write and record until he eventually was
rewarded. He succeeded because he stayed on task despite the consequences).

30. Disciplined and calm, to await the appearance of disorder and hubub
amongst the enemy:-this is the art of retaining self-possession.

Don't appear focused, make your opponent think they are sure to win. (Real
world example: A salesperson tries to make the costumer believe they are
coming out on top. He makes them think they are gaining by buying his profit
while his is losing money, when really he is the one gaining).

31. To be near the goal while the enemy is still far from it, to wait at ease
while the enemy is toiling and struggling, to be well-fed while the enemy is
famished:-this is the art of husbanding one's strength.

Try to achieve your goals before your enemy so they are more likely to give
up in the struggle. (Real world example: A sports team will try to gain a lead
above another team to make them lose confidence in their ability to win, and
become less focused).

32. To refrain from intercepting an enemy whose banners are in perfect order,
to refrain from attacking an army drawn up in calm and confident array:- this
is the art of studying circumstances.

Do not attempt to beat an opponent who is well rounded and understands the
situation. Adapt based on circumstance. (Real world example: A high school
football team is not going to challenge an NFL football team to a game, for
they know they will lose).

33. It is a military axiom not to advance uphill against the enemy, nor to
oppose him when he comes down hill.
Do not challenge your opponent to battles that cannot be won. (Real world
example: A sales person always insists that the product he is trying to sell is
the best one on the market, to keep the costumer interested).

34. Do not pursue an enemy who simulates flight; do not attack soldiers
whose temper is keen.

Do not gloat about victory, or taunt your opponent. (Real world example:
When a student gets a good grade it is good to be humble about it rather than
brag to those who didn't).

35. Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy. Do not interfere with an army
that is returning home.

Don't fall for tricks. (Real world example: When someone says gullible is
written on the front board, don't look up you will be teased because people
who say that most likely don't care to listen to the lesson that number 34
teaches. I say this from experience).

36. When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a
desperate foe too hard.

Do not try to win too quickly, be respectful to your opponent. (Real world
example: A chess player does not try to win too quickly, but takes opportunity
when it arises).

37. Such is the art of warfare.

No commentary needed.