April 19th.. and I am posting about March. 

Been an interesting month and a half ( considering the extra half month I took to post this)

In short, found myself falling back in love with waterpolo, found myself having to combat the disapproval from many around me who think that I am mad for some of the choices I'm making and potentially making, found myself in the classic after-the-turn-of-the-new-year rut where resolutions, discipline, motivation, grand dreams die till the next new year. 

Took the longest time to finish a simple (but yes kinda dry book). A book about the Sun Tze's art of war and how they apply to the modern society. Interesting book considering I paid 15+ bucks for a book with like 20% original content and maybe 70% filled with the translated manuscript of the art of war. Not everything would be applicable today of course, with war not really being something I have to worry about, hopefully at least. And even if I did have to worry about it, war wouldn't be fought on horsebacks or with infantry crossing rivers. Maybe one day Lt General John Simons (most random american name I can think of) will be giving us a modern day art of war. Something like to cripple an enemy, disable his satellites first or something.

That said, I did learn some valuable lessons from the book which I think would be applicable to me as a person and as a leader (one day, hopefully).

-A war is won depending on the following five

1. The way. A Country's leader's values and uprightness. People who trust the country's/leadership's cause, will never abandon it.

2. Heaven. The factors involving seasonality and nature

3. Earth. The factors involving the lay of the land (or ground work in an industry, under my impression)

4. The leader. The qualities of a general (different from a country's leader, which is more like the king)

5. The Law. The ways of using your troops.

-An Army must always be united and in order. Internal turmoils are the most common reasons for losses

-Never strive for drawn out battles, in fact, avoid them altogether if you must. However, if a war has to be fought, it has to be done decisively.

    -Army that has won 5 victories is fatigued, army that has won 4 victories is impoverished, army that has won 3 victories have dominion, army that has won 2 victories founded a kingdom, army that has won 1 victory founded an empire

-Always leave your enemies an exit path, a desperate enemy will fight with nothing to lose and that will cost you much more resources. I find this one especially true, even in dealing with day to day conflicts. 

-Preparation is the key source for victory. It's important to know your enemy's strength and weaknesses. But more important to know your own strength and weaknesses.

-Never attack a well stocked citadel headon, find its weaknesses and attack those instead.