Survival Is War

As soon as a child is born, he or she has been enlisted into a warfare either we are aware of this or not; either we like it or not. I have heard several times the common cliché that life is a battle. Some begin to fight for survival earlier in life than others. An infant born with an illness is already involved in a battle for life. An individual living in lack is already enlisted in battle as the ability to overcome that deficiency determines how great his future will get to be. Many become casualties in life war front because they were not equipped with the knowledge of how to triumph.

Someone will ask, “Must I fight? Can’t I just remain in my little corner and live my life peacefully?” No you cannot be indifferent. It is either you train your hands to war or you get eaten up by forces beyond your control.  There are different battles that face different classes of people depending on their station in life. Some could be battling to raise funds for that wonderful business idea, others could be fighting a lingering disease that has festered like cancer into various parts of the body. For many also; it could be a weight problem, relationship issues, financial limitations, joblessness, inability to face and overcome competition, business failure, huge financial losses, identity problems, low self-esteem, racial issues, midlife crisis, career changes and so on.

Irrespective of what area your battles are, you can win. The battles faced by the poor may not necessarily be the same with the rich and wealthy. There are wars the rich and powerful faces that wealth and position does not answer to.  When Steve Jobs( the former CEO  of Apple Inc) passed on, I felt a sense of loss even though I never met the man. I was a follower of  his achievements. He succumbed to cancer and we lost one of the most  brilliant men who ever  lived. I asked a friend, ” But he was wealthy. He had  access to and could afford the best medical care money could buy. So why did he have to die?”My friend smiled and replied, “Money is a defense in times of need, but there are moments when even money will become useless in the face of  mountain like battles.”

What is peculiar about life is that, as you overcome one problem; another raises its beautiful head. Only at death is one actually free from wars. There can be moments of victory, rest and peace after a combat. But sooner, another problem arises as a result of a previous breakthrough.  For instance, a company having problems managing an upsurge in the number customers because business suddenly exploded. Their ability to manage the problem will either make or break them. So it is wise to say that those who keep winning in life are always fighting one battle or another. They never grow weary of warfare, which they see as another promotion on the way.

Do you want have more success stories? Then fight more battles. When issues come up, when need arises, have a warrior spirit to confront whatever with weapons such as information, wisdom( which is the proper application of what you know), calmness, confidence and faith.  Have the mind set of no retreat, no surrender.

Today’s warfare are information battles because information determines both perception and opinion. Those who use information weapons effectively, both to attack and to defend will always win. According to Sun Tzu in his legendary book written by Donald G. Krause titled “The art of War for Executives”, he listed ten essential principles to overcome business and life battles

Learn to fight

Do it right

Show the way

Know the facts

Expect the worst

Seize the day

Burn the bridges

Pull together

Keep them guessing

Do it better

These ten principles form the foundation for competition success. The book can be referred to for further clarifications.

War is the most important aspect of survival, the way of existence and non- existence. It cannot be studied too much. Conquerors estimate before the war begins, and consider everything. The defeated also estimate before the war, but they do not consider everything. Proper and detailed estimation creates victory, while incomplete estimation causes failures. When we look at it from this point of view, it is obvious who will win the war.

The decision whether to be a mediocre or a master in anything depends on the frequencies we engage in and overcome battles.   To win, the soldier must be properly equipped with the proper arsenals. To a business executive, competition is of vital importance. It determines who advances, retreats, who succeeds and fails, who profits and losses and who lives and dies.

Information is very vital to winning warfare, be it an attack on our health, our finances, our business,  competition company takeover, our security and well-being. It means getting facts – timely, accurate facts- about the reality of conditions and circumstances in the situation. Someone battling cancer which has become a major killer must be able get over the pain of heart break and unnecessary question of why me? The person must go after information about the disease, alternative therapies and cures with the same vehemence and anger which the body is being ravaged. I believe no situation in life can overcome a stubborn mind that refuses to give in or give up. So, we can effectively see that the battle field is in our minds.

Still on information. For product managers, learn more about the people who use your products. Create new products and services that will fill previously unrecognized needs and move quickly before your competitor finds out. In circumstances where your competition is strong, develop innovative products and services. Look for areas of customer dissatisfaction, and move quickly to meet the needs.  Where your competitor is weak, emphasize the advantages of your products and look for better ways to serve. Confuse your competitors with constant innovation and superior service. Innovation is the one weapon which cannot be defended against, as it can be used to make your competitor’s products obsolete. When your competitor is arrogant, be humble. Find out why he is favored. Careful questions will uncover your competitor’s weaknesses.

To win, you must have a great analysis of yourself, abilities, strengths and weaknesses, your circumstances and the resources available to you. Then you must also have a good grasp of the enemy, his strengths and weaknesses.  A proper evaluation of this will ensure victory.

When an executive fails in competition, is is probably due to too much reliance on internal knowledge or folk wisdom. Folk wisdom is that body of unchallenged assumptions that everyone thinks to be true.

This topic cannot be exhausted in this post. In the next, we will get to learn how to overcome, what weapons are available and how we can effectively make use of them for a victorious living. Until then, keep winning.