The Art of War (translator’s introduction) The following short story can be found in The Art of War by Sun Tzu translated by Thomas Cleary. It is the beginning of the translator’s introduction. According to an old story, a lord of ancient China once asked his physician, a member of a family of healers, which of them was the most skilled in the art. The physician, whose reputation was such that his name became synonymous with medical science in China, replied, “My eldest brother sees the spirit of sickness and removes it before it takes shape, so his name does not get out of the house. “My elder brother cures sickness when it is still extremely minute, so his name does not get out of the neighborhood. “As for me, I puncture veins, prescribe potions, and massage skin, so from time to time my name gets out and is heard among the lords.” The “healers” fight disease, so the moral of the story, is that the really efficient fighter is one who annihilates the enemy before the enemy has a chance to progress to a threatening position. The story also acknowledges that the best fighters are often unknown, while less efficient fighter bask in the limelight. When engaging in conflict, one should always strive to be the eldest brother, as he is the most efficient at fighting. Also by remaining unknown, you are less likely to attract unnecessary challengers.
The world is not a movie. You should always have contingency plans. The plans should be practical and well-practiced. I find it convenient to incorporate trusted acquaintances, in performing mock performances. This concept may seem cheesy or excessive, but it is often necessary to produce a flawless execution. Have your acquaintances offer up situations that you may not have considered. I prefer to sit with them and brainstorm hypothetical situations that may occur and find the optimal solutions for them.