To start off, let’s make an analogy. Let’s say that life is a game, and all of us were randomly dealt a set of cards. Some people have better quality cards while others have lower quality cards, yet generally speaking, everyone has something they can capitalise on to succeed! It all depends on how well they can play this hand of cards to secure consistent victory. In life, you win some and lose some. But if your strategy is right, you will find yourself winning more often than losing in the long run. Those are what we call success stories.
Step one of five: Know your strengths. Say that you are stronger in so-and-so aspect. While you may not be the absolute best in said area, you know that you are pretty outstanding in it, in the sense perhaps that it comes pretty effortlessly to you as compared to for other people for whom it is unnatural, who must put in a lot of effort to achieve the same – okay, to be honest, maybe it’s plain impossible for them. Well, this is our gifted aptitude!!! We can see it bringing us success if only we play it to our advantage.
Step two of five: Choose your battlefield accordingly. So, you happen to be strong in that area? Well then, let that be the arena where you fight. If you fight in something you’re weak at, why then, aren’t you bound to lose? Why would you do such a thing then? No, no. You won’t make yourself lose by choosing the wrong battlefield! This battlefield isn’t always chosen by you, yes. Maybe, an opponent chooses it! However! You don’t have to throw yourself into the battlefield that is disadvantageous to you! You’d suck at it and ultimately, you’d end up with a mediocre result at best! Really, conserve your main force and fend them off with those more ‘disposable’ troops of yours. Ok, maybe you’ll have to commit part of the main force – there’s simply no choice. Well then, be flexible about that then!! Make it such that your strength still remains a strength. Don’t overcommit or you’ll never be able to emerge victorious, surpassing mediocrity!
Step three of five: Know well your limits
Never bite off more than you can chew. When you commit, be aware of the big picture. Some people may bait you. Oh, why not, you think and you charge in blindly! Sometimes, malicious intent may not even be at play. For example, someone is supportive of you. And so simply because of that, you decide, oh, why not, Imma give it a go. Hey!! Oh why not is dangerous, you know! Does the person know the cards in your hand? Does the person know your strengths? Does the person thusly know what is best for you? If the answer is no, it’s a warning flag, basically. Don’t doubt yourself and rely too much on people who’re not truly invested in you, when what they seek from you truthfully is nothing but their own self-satisfaction! You should preserve your strength, awaiting those success opportunities.
Step four of five: Project ahead to magnify strengths
Know thyself and know thy enemy, and you shall win a hundred battles? Hmm. Let’s break that down, kay. More importantly, be aware of the strengths that you have and the strengths that the enemy has, and play your cards strategically so that you will be coming out on top despite their strengths. Have you heard of that Chinese horse racing story? Let’s make it simple. Both sides have the same lineup of a Level 1 horse, a Level 2 horse and a Level 3 horse. It is decided that there will be three races to decide the overall victor. How do you do this? Well, it’s not that you pit 1 against 1 and 2 against 2 etcetera. Instead, you pit your 3 against their 2, your 2 against their 1 and your 1 against their 3. You will lose one of ’em. Overall, though, you still win! What this teaches us is that you gotta let their strength go to waste while preserving your strength and waiting for the opportune moments to crush them with these advantages. Sometimes, not using a skill is more effective, shockingly, as compared to using it! In a higher-level battle of wits, that is. The opponent will be on guard for you to use your skill and that will keep them all tense. In the meantime, they may slip up to make a mistake! Or something like that. In other words, my friend, patience is key. Again, preserve your strength for that opportune moment!!! This applies even when no enemy actually exists. Ok, simply think of how Jiang Ziya waited till 72 years old by a river fishing without a fishing hook!!! before he rose to prominence! Remember your strengths! Await the fruitful climax of flawless execution!
5: Take calculated risks
At some points in time, there is a certain easy calculation to make. If you do nothing, you are bound to failure and mediocrity. But if you do something, there is still a chance of you succeeding! What will you decide? Of course you will decide to go all out! And how do you go all out? Well, you notice that this route of action seems to bring a certain probability of success. Of course, there is some luck involved – there are some elements that you just can’t know! Yet, everything hovers within a certain range – you know that at least. And so ya steel yourself and go for it, hoping that the odds will be in your favour this time round! And as the number of occurrences rises, you’ll ultimately be able to succeed a number of times, ain’t it!!! Consistently playing to your strengths brings you overall victory. Additionally, it helps to further develop your strengths! All the experience gained in the process hones the gifted aptitudes.
Bonus: Thought experiment
Let’s do something that philosophy people do – try to find fault with what has been said. Let’s say that my strength is X and yet I seriously hate doing X. I just don’t want to play to my strength! Therefore your theory is inapplicable in my scenario and consequently lacking in some way! Or something that’s more relatable okay. Say I am talented in everything. Whatever I do, as long as I put in some effort in it, I’ll succeed in it. There are just so many areas in which I could develop, and I’ll probably succeed regardless! Choice paralysis! I should make a choice here, but what? Faced with all these nice arguments, I have no choice but to concede that it all depends on how you feel too. For example, I drew a hand with a straight flush in a game where the objective is to discard all the cards in my hand. Yet, using it means that I would lose the game… If I wanna win, unfortunately, I will have to break up that straight flush. What would I do? Personally, I would use that straight flush at the cost of losing the game (seems coolness is more important than victory for me). Similarly, I suppose I believe that people should be allowed to choose their own paths unless the fate of a whole << insert here>> rests on their shoulders. I mean – if something is your responsibility, you can’t just deny it, right. At least shift the responsibility to someone else first (not by blame, by succession, I mean)!
Kyou no gunshi gokko wa kore made desu (Thus ends my play-at-being-a-strategist session today)! On a final note, let me say this. Self-awareness is the sole indispensable factor for all strategies. Without it, you are equivalent to fumbling around in the dark!
Edit: Oh yeah, and I forgot to add. The single worst thing you can do is panic, fumble around and ultimately self-implode when things don’t go your way. Keep a cool thread of clarity running the operations! That way, you stay focused, and can achieve nevertheless…