Appreciate that the journey is all that matters, focusing on the here and now while aligning those who are with you and those who are against you accordingly. Be aware, some people will pretend to be your friend when they truly only want your resources, information, or position. Cultivate an environment where people who pretend to be allies become paranoid and expose themselves.
Understand that society is a game with a ranking structure and you need to think, adapt, and move quickly and strategically to get your team ahead and closer to its higher cause. Move slowly up the ranks as not to upset anyone or appear as a threat. When observing those you want to emulate or supersede, act dumb and ask as many questions as possible without becoming suspicious then mimic their moves as to blend in and make them comfortable. Rid yourself of old visions that no longer serve your purpose and adopt a new one. The deeper your team is involved in a vision, the stronger their cohesion.
Continually present yourself as competent and confident, choosing your battles wisely, sometimes choosing to do nothing. Sometimes you will need to be a specialist and at others a generalist, know when to be which. Always be the sole leader of your team, setting the terms of the game to your needs but allowing decisions to be made by people of your choosing within the parameters you clearly established. Delegating your authority is essential to success but everything must be set within strong boundaries you set. Don’t try and lead if you don’t have a firm understanding of the situation, your people, opponent, and environment. Keep your head clear or it will become your greatest enemy. Establish the standard and make sure your people recognize it must be met. Hold your ground so they know you are in control. When you win, take everything reasonable, understanding there will be negotiations and loses. Do this while keeping a low profile and always appearing to be the more morally just. Win over the people, gaining influence, and you will have a clear advantage. Don’t hesitate to have others do the heavy lifting as long as you prove you care. If you are in a position with many opponents, make allies with as many who have similar interest, so you can gain influence.
Set up your opponents for failure from the beginning by paying attention to what they are doing for as long as possible and allow them to make the first move, so you can outmaneuver them. Get a grasp on your position in the situation and observe what’s going on from every angle, then make a decision based on what you observe and act upon it immediately, surprising your opponent with a flanking or engulfing maneuver. Give them something they do not expect. Always keep the enemy guessing, be random and don’t show your hand to them or your need-to-know people until last minute.
Never attack head on, always use a flank, unless time or danger does not allow. The key is catching them off guard and knocking them off balance. Rapidity is the essence of competition. If your opponent leaves themselves vulnerable, attack without delay. When your opponent has a clear advantage, think outside the box and employ strategy to use what you have to win. Cunning often outperforms brute strength. Change plans when necessary, don’t worry about previous arrangements. Success in competition is gained by accommodating your plan to the competition’s plan and outmaneuvering them. If it looks like you’re going to lose, fight. Just keep moving, even if it’s into the unknown. This is fight or die. No matter how strong your opponent may seem, everyone has a weakness.
Use scouts to gather as much intel as possible before making a decision. Learn your opponent’s motives, forming and molding relationships that hinder those motives. Breaking up their force into smaller parts quickly and decisively while attacking what they cherish. Take something they hold dear. Be aware, people react stronger when what they cherish is in jeopardy. Keep this in mind for your teammates as well. Divide and confuse the competition. Distracting them and flanking them from every angle, without trapping yourself.
Don’t upset the people you have to live with, conflicts with those you care about should be won by changing hearts and minds. When dealing with a true opponent, don’t stop attacking. Use the element of surprise to your advantage. If you back off, competition may counter attack because you’re appearing weak. The most intense competitions happen when it’s over something you both cherish. Don’t attack your competition without agreed upon rules, it leaves you open to flanks and encirclement. On personal subject matters, keep moving forward, don’t stop to engage the subject.
The longer you can drag out your opponent, the more tired and agitated they will become. This is when you strike. When you are caught off guard, strike fast and in rapid succession so your opponent cannot collect their thoughts or organize their resources effectively. When your opponent is bigger and has more resources, attack them at different areas using your speed as an advantage. Quick attacks in a variety of areas become more difficult to defend as an organization grows.
And finally, but most importantly, only start what you can stop.
Always improve,
Chris