Outlier Success & Sun Tzu

A common misinterpretation of Sun Tzu's Art of War is that competition involves 'deception' in the sense of lying, cheating, and manipulation. However, if we considered his work as aiming for peace being the highest form of excellence rather than destroying opponents, it can have a very, very, different meaning.

For example, when Sun Tzu says "attack your enemy's plans," he could be referring to attacking their perceptions in ways that remove the idea of conflict out of their minds rather than destroying physical / mental capabilities (although he does have that capability in his model).

Rather than focusing solely on defeating enemies through destruction or deceit, what if we sought ways to encourage cooperation and symbiotic relationships?

First we need to broaden our focus beyond immediate conflicts and consider the wider contexts and implications.

In The Art of War, Sun Tzu clearly states that winning without fighting represents the highest form of excellence – victories achieved invisibly are also superior because they go unnoticed by others. This suggests that true mastery in conflict resolution lies hidden in plain sight; only those who understand this can recognise its extraordinary value.

Ultimately, the notion that "all war is based on deception" may not imply manipulating others but recognising how easily people deceive themselves and understanding that as the strategy.

As Richard Feynman once said: "The first principle is don't fool yourself - you're the easiest person to fool."

By avoiding self-deception and embracing broader perspectives in personal growth and going 'beyond conflict', individuals can achieve extraordinary results with lasting positive impacts on their environment (just don't expect to be praised for it).

This type of thinking isn't exclusive to Extreme Outliers or Geniuses like Sun Tzu because with the right time, effort and commitment to understanding it's available to almost anyone...