Welcome Jenny, your new guide!

[sonshi]

I have the fine privilege to introduce to you Jenny Koontz, former cofounder and CTO of SmarterComics, which produced the very first comic version of Sun Tzu's Art of War to help businesspeople apply the classic to their lives. Her background is in the banking industry and has lived in Germany, Switzerland, and Hong Kong. Now she's here with us at Sonshi.com to help me discuss Sun Tzu's Art of War. You will soon find out she's a sharp businesswoman and a wonderful person. Welcome Jenny!

[Jenny]

Thank you Thomas! I am honored to be part of this!

[Truthseeker]

Glad to have you Jenny. I look forward to reading your perspectives on all things AoW as well as life in general.

Tell us a little about yourself: hobbies, likes, dislikes etc.

[The Sheepdog]

Welcome aboard, Jenny!

It's great to see you here and I eagerly await to learn from your wisdom and experience pertaining to all things Sun Tzu.

Best of luck with your new endeavor!

[Jenny]

Hi there, and thank you very much for the nice welcoming!
Pleasure to be here with you.
I am a very positive person so I like a lot of things. I love to paint, enjoy the city life as much as nature, cat and dog person and I just like all kinds of activity.

I have started quite early in my career and have survived some disasters in my young life. But thinking positive has always helped + I have a lot of nice people around me and I am very grateful for that.

Always surround yourself with people who lift you up higher ;-)

[sonshi]

Jenny, do you believe there's correlation between thinking positively and what Sun Tzu teaches us?

Hi Jenny,

Welcome to sonshi.com !

Who do you like better Marvel or DC?

What is your favorite translation of Sun Tzu?

Are you a Sawyer fan or Cleary fan?

What is airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

Atreides

[Truthseeker]

Hi
What is airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

Atreides

[sonshi]

An African or European swallow?

[Truthseeker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzcLQRXW6B0

This had to be posted. Sorry.

[Jenny]

Oh yes for sure, I think.
I have to admit I am not yet a specialist on the art of war. Honestly I was hoping you guys could help finding those correlations. ;-)

I think it depends on the situation and how much influence one really has.
In general you need to ask: Do you play to win or do you play not to lose?
Adapting the right attitude is essential, and positive thinking makes a huge difference in almost everything.

[The Sheepdog]

Originally Posted by Jenny

...Adapting the right attitude is essential, and positive thinking makes a huge difference in almost everything.

Sun Tzu said, "Those who are able to adapt and change in accord with the enemy and achieve victory are called divine."

Your "everything" in the above portion of your quote can be seen as any negative situation or -- the enemy. Ones ability to "roll with the punches" makes a very distinct difference in how we handle everyday problems and issues.

Once you have done it enough, you can become excellent at seeing difficult situations as opportunities for growth and success.

We can choose to move "though" the problem or we can choose to get "hung up" on the problem.

Yes...a positive attitude can certainly turn a situation around for you if it is a "bone deep" positive rather than a "surface only" positive.

Joseph Conrad excerpt: "Strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others."

Sun Tzu said, "Thus, what enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge."

Hi Jenny,

I just threw those quotes out there last night so that I would remember them...

I don't think Sun Tzu was a positive thinking kind of guy. The AOW is pragmatic.

Sun Tzu said, "When the force of the flames has reached its height, follow it up with an attack, if that is practicable; if not, stay where you are."

and

Sun Tzu said, "Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory: He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight."

More later...

Atreides

[sonshi]

"Even in the midst of the turbulence of battle, the fighting seemingly chaotic, they are not confused. Even in the midst of the turmoil of battle, the troops seemingly going around in circles, they cannot be defeated." Sun Tzu.

Being positive is about being pragmatic. If you're not positive you'll succeed, you won't move. You're positive because you've practiced and done your homework. However you know full well that practice and homework aren't the same as the real world in real time but you move anyway. Pure logic will often lead to non-action because no time is a perfect time.