Thursday, June 09, 2011

Strategic Assessments 1.2

Therefore measure in terms of five things, use these assessments to make comparison, and thus find out what the conditions are. The five things are the way, the weather, the terrain, the leadership and discipline.
Before ever wandering into any type of relationship, be in a simple friendship or a full-on hunt for The One, always know what you are getting into before you go after whatever kind of companionship you are looking for. Although some of us don't think this hard, Master Sun is asking to do more of a mental check to see if they are worth your time or not. Most of the time, you just get a summed up feeling that, 'Hey, this person is absolutely giving me the cold shoulder', and move on without actually thinking about it.

The Way-
Generally speaking, how you're going about to get whatever you really want (or avoid in some cases). The place you're in, the conditions, the people around you and how they react all lead up to your odds of success or failure.

The Weather-
Master Sun is saying the general weather patterns affect how people act (think cold and people want to chill at home, ride the slopes, bundle up etc) and socialize. You won't see (too) many tank tops and skirts in the middle of blizzard weather and you should dress accordingly, lest you stick out. Or, if you want to stand out, take advantage and be bold, knowing that you'll trendsetter. The other point that he's getting at is dress to your advantage and you'll get the upper hand (i.e. "Dress shabbily, they notice the dress. Dress impeccably, the notice the woman"- Coco Chanel)

The Terrain-
It's better to know you're way around a club, a hotspot, have exit strategies and well... just be full-on prepped for what you're going into. Confidence in knowing where to go and who to mix in with is the best way to up your ante to find what you are looking for. Scope out the place, ask friends or others where the place to be is for whatever you are looking for happens to happen. Not knowing is just limits your chances.

If you're already attached, this means to know the how your significant other feels about topics, subjects, actions and moods. If they shoot flames over certain topics, stay away (unless you really want them to heat up for nothing) or adapt to what the conversation or relationship is going.

The Leadership-
Although Master Sun specifically states this as the head of the army or the general, this also means the ulterior motives that guide another person's actions. The body is just the army following orders and reacting to what the general says via clothes, behavior, moods, way of living etc.

This also could be in a certain group of people, the Big Shot or It Girl. Most people react socially the way animals do (and yes, our Cousin Chimp is a def smarter than we think) and the easiest scenario is to see how guys interact when they're around other dudes. You'll find a shaker, a mover, a maker and bystanders that flit around the edges. Same can be said with women, but let's face it, emotions fuzz the different roles a bit more. Still, anywhere you go, people love having friends and generally speaking, the basic laws of behavior still apply. Center person or people and the supporting crew.

The Discipline-
The Discipline means how well people are loyal (or not) to either their It Girl or Guy, how well people treat another, how they treat themselves and in general how they react to whatever social situation's codes or invisible guidelines (the same as that most people don't intentionally go into the opposite gender's bathroom, but we just know not to). Also, it means how strong or weak you feel about going for that friend or whomever you're after. Crappy plans lead to crappy results. Staying on your A-game and hey... you just might have a shot at That Opportunity.

The reason why The Leadership and The Discipline come in last on the list is because people are constantly changing actions, behaviors, and thoughts. Sometimes you plan to go out, but a cool event pops up and gasp! you have to change everything about your previous intentions to make it work. The focus and how to react are always changing.




Sunday, June 05, 2011

Strategic Assessments 1.1

Military action is important to the nation-it is the ground of life and death, the path of survival and destruction, so it is important to examine it.
Love is a universal factor in the quality of the lives we lead. We either have it, pursue it, are devastated by it, or blinded by its beauty. In any case, love means life or death. Our instincts, talents, abilities, actions, and choices are the armies at our disposal. Our survival or destruction depends on these attributes and, by necessity, must be examined closely.

We must first acknowledge that our actions and responses dictate our future in love. Whether they bring us to tears of joy or sadness, we must first be aware of them before any stratagem or otherwise can be constructed. Some people leave love up to the mysterious unfolding of the universe, and that in itself is an action as well. Others realize that the fine art of maintaining (or destroying if that is what you want) love is something that must be thought upon consciously or unconsciously.

As basic as it is, Master Sun has a point. Admit it and you are on the path to understanding your opponent already.




Sun Tzu Said....



Master Sun Tzu wrote very carefully over two thousand years ago (and through multiple translations over those years),
"[...] if you know others and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles."

He wrote this passage very clearly in his refined and exceptionally wise work, "The Art of War." This piece of literature has been adapted, utilized, and referenced everywhere from the modern boardroom to common strategy teachings of today's and past military academies. The entries that follow are a new set of interpretations that are adapted to the subjects of relationships, romance, and love. We acknowledge and credit two volumes of translation of Master Sun's honored work in creation of this blog.

Cleary, Thomas F.. The art of war . Boston: Shambhala, 1988. Print.
Minford, John. The art of war . New York: Penguin Books, 2006. Print.


About the author and creation of this blog project

R Miller is a graphic designer created this blog project when life threw one too many one pitches. After parting ways with a then-fiance, R Miller looked to pick up the pieces with the help of Master Sun. Today, this blog is dedicated to taking a logical and practical view of how military strategy can be applied today towards one of life's biggest miracles and curses: love. Comments and stories are always encouraged. Each post means that somewhere out there, love is alive and out there.