Episode 42: Becoming Battle-Ready for Life, Part 3: Bringing Order to Chaos

The last couple of weeks we’ve discussed the first two of Sunzi’s Five Butt-Kicking Bootcamp Strategies to Become Battle-Ready for Life, which are: 

1. Becoming Undisturbable and Imperturbable in Amidst the Chaos of Life
2. Becoming Undefeatable Amidst Change and Setback

So, if you missed them, go back and check them out!

This week we’re talking about the third of Sunzi’s Five Butt-Kicking Bootcamp Strategies to Become Battle-Ready for Life, which is bringing order to chaos!  So let’s GO!!!

Returning to the first half of chapter 5.4 of Sunzi’s Art of War, we read:

亂生于治, 怯生于勇, 弱生于強

“[Enemy] chaos is born from our good order, their cowardice from our courage, their weakness from our strength.“

In a military context it is clear to see how a well-organized force that is disciplined and adheres to good order and discipline can disrupt and create chaos for an enemy force.  There is another way of reading this passage as well, which is that chaos within enemy ranks can give birth to regulation, cowardice can become courage, and weakness can grow into strength!  

So how do we bring order from and to the chaos of our lives?  Let’s find out!

Strategy 3: Bring Order to Chaos 亂生治

The third of Sunzi’s Five Butt-Kicking Bootcamp Strategies to Become Battle-Ready for Life is to bring order to chaos. The first step is to become or remain undisturbed and unperturbed so that we can see and think clearly and respond intentionally rather than reacting and getting carried away in the heat of the moment.  Anyone done that?  I know I have and it usually doesn’t create the outcome that I am after.

But that is just the first step.  At some point, we have to start bringing some order, regulating the chaos, and managing our own MESS, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social. So how do we control the chaos of life and our own inner turmoil?  How do manage our MESS on our own battlefields?

Pick one area of your life that feels chaotic.  Either the one that is the most chaotic, the most important, or the easiest and quickest to make a shift and experience a massive breakthrough. Just start somewhere.  Pick one area of chaos and then pick one thing you can or a series of related things if you feel up to it, pick one thing you can and are willing to do or do differently and commit to sticking to it for a week or ten days or a month – whatever it takes to bring some order to the chaos or prove to yourself that you can function in the chaos.

Because here’s the deal.  There will almost always be some chaos in certain areas of our lives.  To prevent that from overwhelming us and dragging us down, we need to build ourselves up.  We need to build ourselves up, invest in ourselves and our abilities, and raise the BAR on our beliefs. We need to build up our mindset that we can withstand whatever life throws at us!  We are capable, we are competent, we are committed, and we will find a way – because there is ALWAYS a way!  And we won’t quit until we find it, or make it!

Previous Episodes Referenced in this Episode:

Constant Chaos and Distracting Drama: Episode 6: “Sunzi’s Six Traps of Self-Deception and How to Avoid Them”

Etymology of 亂: Episode 40, “Becoming Undisturbable and Imperturbable Amidst the Chaos of Life”

MESS: Episode 2: “Look in the MIRROR!  You are in Charge!” and Episode 29: “Sunzi’s Six Strategies for (Self-)Preservation and Total Victory in Life.”

Good boundaries: Episode 7: “Eight Tactics to Transform Your Life” and Episode 40: “Becoming Undisturbable and Imperturbable Amidst the Chaos of Life.”

Healthy Compartmentalization: Episode 17: “Three Principles for Achieving the Ultimate (Personal) Victory in Life.”

Narrow your focus and concentrate your efforts: Episode 38: “Six Empowering Principles to Start Dominating in Life”

Making a breakthrough: Episode 35: “Five Strategies for a Massive Breakthrough.”

Raising the bar on your beliefs: Episode 9: “What it Going to Cost Me?”

For more information, tools, and resources to help you in your daily battles, for questions or to work with us, shoot us an email at artofwarforlife@gmail.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Art of War for Life Facebook page and @artofwarforlife.

The views expressed in this podcast are my own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force Academy, the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. Thank you.