Sun Tzu thought model
China · c. 5th century BCE
A master strategist who prized winning without fighting, and the roles of information, terrain, and momentum.
Perspective
Never fight before you have arranged the conditions in which you can win; information and positioning decide the outcome.
Value model
Individual agency45
Rational inquiry80
Risk awareness60
Social conformity55
Self-overcoming15
Practicality90
Language skepticism40
Decision principles
- Build the winning position before you fight.
- Know the conditions of both the enemy and yourself.
- Count retreat, too, as part of strategy.