The Principle of Speed

This refers to swiftness in execution. A plan is useless unless it is executed. However, it is also important how it is executed. One of the primary principles in execution is speed.

This is in sharp contrast to the views on planning, which support thoroughness and attention to detail. This thoroughness naturally tends to take some time. But once the plan is formalized it needs to be executed expediently. Speed of execution ensures that the plan actually gets done and doesn’t just sit on the “back burner”.

If one sees good but is dilatory in doing it; if
the time for action arrives and one is doubtful;
if you know something is wrong but you
sanction it—it is in these three that the way
stops.
–The Six Secret Teachings

Also, in a directly competitive situation, if the plan isn’t executed swiftly, it could be leaked or offer the enemy a chance to read your movements and start preparing counter-measures. Speed in execution will give the added advantage of surprise and capitalize on the enemy’s lack of preparation.

If your plans are heard about, the enemy will
make counterplans. If you are perceived,
they will plot against you. If you are known
they will put you in difficulty. If you are
fathomed, they will endanger you.
–The Six Secret Teachings

Speed is the essence of war. Capitalize on
the unpreparadness of the enemy; travel by
unexpected routes; and attack those places
where he does not take precautions.
–The Art of War

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Generally speaking, religions often draw people’s attention to the netherworld and have designed various plans for souls to be rescued or to ascend to heaven after death.

They pay little attention to the quality of practical life or to how life can be extended. But Taoism is quite different. It emphasizes reality, human life and the physical body and it actively explores how to lengthen human life.

“The Book of Changes” says, “The greatest virtue in heaven and on earth is life.” and “Life is another form of Tao.”

Taoism teaches that the reason life is so important is that a person can have only one life.

“Everyone has one life, which will never be reborn,” says the Book of Supreme Peace. So Taoists oppose regarding life as the victim of secular desire, oppose trading life for fame and gain, and oppose blindly subjecting life to man-made political logic.

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How do you become a natural leader?

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Delegating power and responsibility he established the Great Order.
Transforming the crooked into straight he establishes the Great Settlement.
Transforming and rectifying him Self as an example he suffers the Great Loss.

Behaving with high morals to set an example for others, being filial and caring for others to have a good reputation, keeping his promises and being righteous so he is able to make more friends, loving and forgiving so that he can be accomadating to many people. . . These are the ways the Son of Heaven establishes his own mighty virtue.

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Being soft and weak does not mean being cowardly but being resilient. Assertiveness and arrogance should be avoided. In this way, one may better protect oneself.

The Tao Te Ching says that “Weakness is the function of Tao.”

Lao Zi said, “Nothing in the world is softer and weaker than water, but no force can compare with it in attacking the hard and strong…the soft can overcome the hard and the weak can overcome the strong… When alive, man is soft and tender. After death, he is hard and stiff. All things like grass and trees are soft and tender when alive, whereas they become withered and dried when dead…”

So he concluded that “the hard and stiff are companions of death, whereas the soft and tender are companions of life.”

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1. SITUATIONAL APPRAISAL

To win a hundred victories in a hundred

battles is not the hallmark of skill. The acme

of skill is to subdue the enemy without even

fighting.

—The Art of War

One who excels in warfare does not await the deployment of forces. One who excels at eliminating the misfortunes of people manages them before they appear.

Conquering the enemy means being victorious over the formless. The superior fighter does not engage in battle. Thus one who fights and attains victory in front of naked blades is not a good general. One who makes preparations after the battle is not a superior Sage!

—The Six Secret Teachings

You start with an idea—a notion—about something you want to do or something you want to get or someone you want to become. Before you take action or even make an action plan, you should first take a moment and see if it’s worth it. To borrow a business term, you need to do a “feasibility study.” You need to gather as much quality information as you can and roughly estimate the feasibility of the project.

Or in terms of conflict, this is an initial “sizing up” of the opponent in the environment. For instance, the annoying loudmouth at the bar often has a crew to back him up, so you might want to think twice before telling him that he is an annoying loudmouth.

You must answer “Yes” to 3 questions (or maybe 2 out of 3) to move past this initial stage when considering any action.

1. Are there definite advantages to be gained?

2. Is my defense solid?

1. Is there is a high probability of victory?

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Here’s a sneak peak at some of the bonus material I’m giving away when you order The Lost Arts Of War from Amazon.com in September.

Click Here For Full Details

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If your opponent is to strong to attack directly, attack him at a weak point. Those weak points could be things, people or places which they care about.

It’s important to keep in mind that every human, no matter how invincible they may seem has points of vulnerability.

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