Use Military Strategy to Develop Better Habits

Use Military Strategy to Develop Better Habits

Sun Tzu, Chinese general of the 5th century BC J.-C, is the author of the famous military strategy treaty, The Art of War, which inspired this article.
His treatise is still applied today in many areas, from business development and goal setting, to weight loss and the formation of new habits.

How to apply to our life the military strategy and the teachings of Sun Tzu? 🤔
The battle for better habits
Too often, we try to develop new habits, achieve great goals, and succeed in life by force.

We throw ourselves directly into the battles and attack the enemy, in this case our bad habits, when it is the strongest.

For example :

• Follow a strict diet while we go out for dinner with friends.
• Write a book in a noisy environment.
• Eat healthy in a house filled with sweets and sweets.
• Focus on important work while consulting social media.

And when we fail to achieve our goals, we reproach ourselves for not being sufficiently motivated and not having enough willpower.

However, in many cases failure is not the result of a lack of will, but rather the use of a bad strategy.

Good warlords start by winning the presumed easy battles and thus work to improve their positions. They wait patiently until the enemy is weakened and his morale is low before attacking him head-on.

Oh yes ... why start a war fighting well-defended positions? Likewise, why develop new habits in an environment that makes change difficult? 🤔

Sun Tzu would never lead his army into a battle where the terrain is not to his advantage. He certainly would not start by attacking the point where the enemy is strongest.

Sun Tzu - Quote

So we should start with slight changes in our habits, then work on our strengths and establish a better position to tackle the more difficult changes.

Let's adapt the teachings of Sun Tzu for the formation of better habits:
Sun Tzu:

"You will succeed your attacks if you attack only places that are not defended. "

Therefore: you will succeed in forming new habits if you develop only habits that are easy to maintain.
Sun Tzu:

"The victorious warrior is the one who knows when to fight and when to avoid the battle. "

Therefore: The person who improves his behavior is the one who knows which habits to develop in priority and those to plan for later.

Sun Tzu:

"An intelligent general avoids the enemy when the spirit of the enemy is the brightest, but the attack when he is lethargic and inclined to flee. "

Therefore: A smart person avoids the areas where the bad habits are the strongest, but attacks them where they are weak and easy to change.

Lead the battles you are destined to win
Becoming better is not just a question of will or ethics, it is also a matter of strategy.
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We often think that a lack of will or a reluctance to change are the consequences of attempts to build good habits in bad conditions:
• If you are trying to read more books to develop your skills, do not do it in a room or you might be tempted by video games, Netflix or television. Move in a less distracting environment.

• If you are overweight, do not try to follow a training program for a top athlete. You could possibly get there, but it's not a battle you have to fight right now. Start with a change that you can manage.

• If you are surrounded by toxic people who are preventing you from achieving your goals, work on your projects in another location or join like-minded people.

• If you are trying to make a habit of writing while your children are coming home from school and your house is in chaos, then work on writing at another time.

Work on developing your habits at the best times. Create an environment where the chances of success are in your favor.

It sounds simple, but how many times have you fought hard battles ignoring all those that are deemed easy? So start by winning first the easiest battles, because the wisest way to success is the least resistance.
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