The Tao of Becoming a Strategist

Q:   What daily tasks should I do to make myself a competitive strategist?
A:   The following is a recommended list of daily tasks that one can undertake to become a competitive strategist:

• Associate with people with a passion for strategy. Always try to learn from the best

• Maintain sharpness by constantly learning something new. Lead a daily life with a purpose
• Plan your year, your season, and your day by developing, maintaining, and refining your own "to-do" list
• Be aware of current world news and events. Study and understand the functional connections between events from a global perspective, regional focus, and local viewpoint
• Once the principles of Sun Tzu's Art of War are understood, read it at least once a year

• Strive to read world history and great works on strategy from Zhuge Liang as often as possible. (My favorite is reading those classics during rainy evenings.) Always try to understand and remember the lessons learned from those books
• Play strategy board games with a focus toward the proper usage of strategic principles (that is, Go, Chinese Chess, Western Chess, and so on)
• In a "game metaphor" situation, focus on viewing the game from the opposing side first before developing your strategy. Become empathic to your opponent's psychological being first, then study their principal strategic approach
• Constantly practice on developing a strategic plan that is complete from start to finish
• Be patient, be persistent, and be mentally flexible to adapt to any game situations

Q:   What is your approach to strategy development?
A:   I cannot add anything new to what was written by the world-renowned strategists like Sun Tzu and Zhuge Liang. My only advice is "Be prepared and fully aware of your surroundings. Don't ever be surprised. Have a complete game strategy ready. Anticipate.

Mastering The Art of War	The Art of War: A New Translation	Sun Tzu: The Art of War	Sun Tzu: The Art of War

Top of Page