Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, philosopher, and writer who lived more than 2,500 years ago. Though
much of his life remains a mystery, he is said to have followed ideas rooted in philosophies like
Taoism, Confucianism, and elements of Legalism. He’s best known for a book called The Art of War,
a classic text on military strategy and tactics. Even though it was written for military leaders,
people still read it today for advice on leadership, business, sports, and personal growth.
What made Sun Tzu different was how he thought about winning. He believed the smartest victory
is a victory won without fighting. Success came from careful planning, calm thinking,
and knowing both yourself and your opponent. He taught that strength isn’t always about pushing
harder—it’s about stepping back, seeing clearly, and acting at the right moment.
Sun Tzu saw discipline not just as willpower, but as inner control. Leading others starts
with leading yourself—being aware of your thoughts, staying calm under pressure,
and not letting emotions dictate your decisions. Discipline is about staying steady, adjusting
when needed, and always moving with purpose. Even today, Sun Tzu’s teachings are powerful.
Whether you're working toward a goal, building better habits, or trying to stay grounded in a
busy world—his wisdom can help. Which is why in this video,
we’re gonna talk about how to build self-discipline from the wisdom of Sun Tzu.
1. Master Yourself First Sun Tzu Says “If you know
the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”
Before we can influence the world around us, or navigate life’s challenges, we must begin with
the only battlefield we can truly control: ourselves. According to Sun Tzu, you cannot
win in life until you understand yourself. To "know yourself" means to become intimately
aware of who you are—not just your goals and talents, but also your fears, your triggers,
your patterns, and the stories you tell yourself. Many people spend their lives reacting—to stress,
to others, to setbacks—without truly understanding why they respond the way they do. Sun Tzu teaches
us that such unawareness is dangerous. It leaves us vulnerable, like going into battle blindfolded.
You don’t need a battlefield to apply this teaching. Daily life gives you all
the opportunities you need. Here’s how to begin mastering yourself: To “know yourself,” in Sun
Tzu's sense, is to 1. Know Your Mind
Create a quiet space in your day—even just 5–10 minutes—to reflect.
This can take the form of: Journaling your thoughts and emotions
Meditation, where you observe without judging Or simply sitting in silence, asking:
What am I feeling right now? What caused it? What did I learn from today?
This is self-knowledge. This is power. 2. Know Your Habits
One of the simplest but most important acts of self-discipline is knowing and owning up
to your rituals and structure in your day. That might mean:
Waking up at the same time each day, even when it’s hard
Eating meals mindfully, not while scrolling on your phone
Creating “sacred” time for exercise, learning, or spiritual practices
To start this, try choosing one daily ritual and committing to it for 7 days. It can be as simple
as making your bed or walking for 10 minutes after lunch. But keep it sacred. You’re not doing this
for productivity, you’re doing this to be present. 3. Know Your Reactions
Discipline is also about becoming so aware of your emotions that they no longer control you.
Life will challenge you—people will disappoint you, situations will frustrate you. But you always
have a choice: react from emotion or respond from awareness. So the next time you feel anger,
fear, or anxiety rising—pause. Take three slow, intentional breaths.
Ask yourself: “Is this feeling true, or just loud?”
Often, that pause is all it takes to shift from reaction to reflection.
When you know yourself, you stop living on autopilot. You live deliberately,
recognizing what pulls you off course and what centers you.
Sun Tzu reminds us: victory doesn't come from overpowering others—it begins within.
Win the inner battle, and the outer world falls into place.
2. Think Strategically, Not Emotionally According to Sun Tzu “The greatest
victory is that which requires no battle.” Legend has it that once, a neighboring state
was preparing to wage war against the kingdom of Wu, where Sun Tzu served as general. Rather
than rushing to mobilize troops, Sun Tzu gathered intelligence. He studied the enemy’s movements,
their morale, their supply chains. And then he made an unexpected move:
he did nothing. Weeks passed. The enemy,
confused by the lack of retaliation, began to doubt their own position. Their morale
weakened. Internal divisions arose. Eventually, they retreated—never having drawn a sword.
Sun Tzu didn’t fight because he didn’t need to. He saw further than the generals on the battlefield.
He knew that sometimes the greatest show of power is choosing strategy over reaction.
So not all victories are won by force. In fact, the most powerful kind of discipline
is about knowing when not to fight at all. Many see discipline as sheer willpower or pushing
through pain. But for Sun Tzu it's the ability to step back, to hold still, and to think clearly.
The most disciplined person is not the one who forces every battle—but the one who can
win without ever needing to engage in one. In life, conflict will call to you—arguments,
temptations, distractions, anxieties. But discipline means learning to think ahead.
Instead of reacting emotionally, you learn to act strategically.
It means to step back and look at the bigger picture—not just what’s happening right now.
It’s like seeing the whole chessboard, not just the piece in front of you.
Most people act without thinking. They chase what feels good, protect their pride,
try to please others, or run from discomfort. But strategy is different. It invites you to
slow down and ask yourself, “What do I really want—and what’s the smartest way to get there?”
This kind of thinking requires calm. It requires space between trigger and response. And it
requires the courage to put your emotions in the passenger seat—not the driver’s seat.
Let’s say your boss criticizes you in front of your team. The natural reaction might be to snap,
to defend yourself, to feel offended. But what if—like Sun Tzu—you paused?
You took a breath... You stayed calm in the moment?
And later, in private, you speak to your boss. You express how you feel, ask for clarity,
and handle the situation with dignity. You didn’t run away from the problem—you
simply chose a wiser way to deal with it. That’s what real discipline looks like. It’s
about staying steady, thinking clearly, and not letting the world around you shake your balance.
But this kind of discipline doesn’t come overnight. Like anything else, it takes practice.
And you can start small. Take a cold shower. Sit in silence for a few minutes. Skip a meal once
in a while. Not to prove anything to anyone—but to train yourself to stay calm when things get
uncomfortable. These little practices teach your body and mind that it’s okay to feel pressure, and
you don’t always have to react. Being calm doesn’t mean you stop feeling. It means you’ve learned
how to return to yourself, even when things around you get messy. That quiet strength—the
kind Sun Tzu talked about—is something anyone can build. One small step at a time.
3. Discipline Is in Preparation In the words of Sun Tzu, “Victorious warriors
win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.”
Real discipline isn’t just about how you show up in the moment—it’s about how well
you prepare before the moment ever comes. There’s a story about how Sun Tzu once
proved this to a king. He took a group of palace servants—people with no experience
in war—and turned them into a disciplined unit in just one afternoon. He gave clear instructions,
set firm expectations, and calmly corrected mistakes. It wasn’t about shouting or forcing
them. It was about structure, steady practice, and clear leadership. His point was simple:
with the right preparation, almost anyone can become focused and ready.
In everyday life, this kind of preparation starts with something as simple as taking
a few quiet minutes the night before to look at the day ahead. Just ask yourself:
What really matters tomorrow? What’s most important? When will I give those things my
time and focus? And what might get in the way? Doing this helps you begin the day on your own
terms, rather than getting caught up in everything that comes at you.
It helps you feel calmer and more prepared. It also makes a difference to set up your space
in a way that supports you. Like, if you know your phone distracts you, place it out of sight
when you’re doing focused work. If you often get interrupted or pulled into other people’s plans,
create a little time for yourself where you’re not available. This isn’t about being strict—it’s
about giving yourself the right conditions to do what matters, without constantly having
to fight for your attention. Of course, things don’t always go as
planned. That’s normal. But part of thinking ahead is being honest about that too. Ask yourself:
What could go wrong tomorrow? What’s likely to throw me off? How do I usually react—and
is there a better way I could handle it? If you know your energy dips in the afternoon,
do your most important work earlier. If your phone distracts you, move it out of reach when you need
to focus. If certain situations make you nervous, walk yourself through how you want to respond.
This isn’t overplanning—it’s building steadiness before stress shows up. When you start paying
attention to these patterns, you give yourself a chance to respond with clarity instead of stress.
Just like a general wouldn’t go into battle without knowing the land, we shouldn’t walk
into our day without knowing ourselves. Discipline is built in these quiet moments—the things you do
when no one else is watching. And when life gets loud, you don’t have to scramble. You won’t need
to “rise to the occasion”—you’ll fall back on what you’ve already trained yourself to do.
That’s the power of true preparation. 4. Use Deception with Purpose
Sun Tzu considers that, “All warfare is based on deception.”
Sun Tzu here is teaching that discipline involves protecting your position, your energy,
and your direction. So being disciplined doesn’t always mean full honesty in every moment.
It means knowing what to reveal, when to speak, and when silence serves you better.
Think about a time you shared a goal too soon, and someone’s doubt made
you question it. Or when you opened up about something personal, and it was misunderstood
or used against you. These moments teach us the importance of being careful with what we share.
When Sun Tzu talks about deception, he also means knowing when to speak,
what to reveal, and who to trust. Imagine someone starting a new career
or working on a creative idea. Instead of telling everyone right away, they stay quiet and build
slowly. They’re not hiding—they’re protecting. In the beginning, ideas are fragile. It takes
strength to stay quiet while things are still forming. If you speak too soon, other people’s
opinions can shake your confidence. Maybe you’ve felt that—sharing something you're excited about,
only for someone’s doubt to make you second-guess yourself. That kind of energy can really throw you
off. Keeping things private while they grow isn’t about hiding—it’s about protecting what matters.
The same applies in relationships. You don’t have to explain yourself to everyone. You don’t
owe the world your private struggles. Holding your emotions isn’t about
building walls—it’s about self-respect. Not everyone needs to know your plans,
feelings, or next move. Protecting your inner world keeps you steady and focused. That’s
what Sun Tzu meant—not about tricking others, but knowing when to speak and when to hold back. Here
are few things you can try to be discreet - Journal your goals privately instead of
announcing them, allowing them to grow quietly. Observing others carefully before revealing too
much of your own thoughts or plans. Creating boundaries around what you
share online or with certain people, not from secrecy, but from clarity.
Discipline isn’t always about doing more. Sometimes, it’s about doing less—saying less,
showing less, but thinking clearly. That kind of quiet strength can carry you far.
5. Adapt Without Losing Purpose Sun Tzu once wrote, “Water shapes
its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows.”
Water is soft, but powerful. It doesn’t fight the shape of the land—it moves with
it. It adapts. And yet, it always keeps flowing toward its destination. That’s
what real discipline looks like. It’s about being steady, even when everything around you changes.
Life is full of the unexpected. Plans fall through. Routines break. People let you down.
You might get sick, tired, overwhelmed—or just wake up one day feeling off. These moments don’t
mean you’ve failed. They’re just part of the terrain. And when they come, you have a choice:
resist and get stuck, or adjust and keep moving. A disciplined person doesn’t cling to the way
things should be. They stay committed to their purpose, but flexible in how they get there.
Think about water again—it never stops moving. It flows around rocks. It finds
new paths. It keeps going. That’s how we can live. You don’t need the perfect day to make
progress. You just need to stay in motion. For example, if you miss your morning routine,
that doesn’t mean the whole day is ruined. Maybe you do a shorter version later.
If your work schedule shifts, maybe you focus on one important task instead of five. If
your energy is low, give yourself grace and do what you can. The goal is to keep showing up.
It’s easy to give up when things don’t go to plan. But when you can adjust without losing
your direction, you become much harder to knock off course. You stay rooted in what matters,
and you trust yourself to handle whatever comes. So when something changes, instead of reacting…
pause. Ask, “What’s still possible right now?” Water doesn’t lose itself when the ground shifts.
It keeps flowing, and so can you. 6. Lead Yourself Like a General
In our final quote from Sun Tzu for this video, he says, “A leader leads by example, not by force.”
Each of us, in our own quiet way, is a leader. We lead our thoughts. We lead our actions. We
decide how we show up in the world. And whether we realize it or not, the way we carry ourselves sets
the tone for everything around us—our work, our relationships, and our sense of purpose.
Sun Tzu lived this out. There’s a story that once, during a military campaign,
his army faced a difficult situation. Food was low, and morale was slipping. Instead of scolding
the soldiers or forcing them to fight harder, Sun Tzu shared the same simple meals they ate.
He walked with them, not above them. He didn’t give long speeches. He showed discipline through
his actions. His calm presence and steady routines gave the army confidence again.
They didn’t just follow his orders—they trusted him, because he led himself first.
Think of yourself the same way—as a general of your own life. This doesn’t mean being hard
on yourself or living with strict control. It means living with quiet responsibility.
You’re in charge of your time, your energy, and your attention. No one else can truly command
those things for you. And when you begin to treat them with respect, you naturally begin
to move with more clarity and strength. It starts with small promises. If you say
you’ll wake up early, move your body, or spend ten quiet minutes reflecting—follow through.
Not to chase perfection, but to build trust with yourself. When a general gives a command,
it's meant to be followed. In the same way, each time you keep a small promise, you strengthen the
quiet authority you have over your own life. Set goals like they’re missions. Not a long
list of hopes, but clear, focused intentions. A wise general doesn’t spread resources thin—they
choose the right battle, the right moment, and give it everything. And you can do the same.
Maybe your “mission” is to rebuild your health, to deepen your focus,
or to be more present for people you love. Whatever it is, name it, and take it seriously.
Build your habits like training. Not fast and intense, but slow and consistent. A
good army doesn’t train only when it’s motivated—it trains every day,
because preparation is the real source of peace. In the same way, your habits—however small—create
the rhythm of your life. Brushing off one day might seem like nothing, but it’s in the daily
showing up that real strength is built. So ask yourself: If I were the general of
my own life, how would I lead today? What would I focus on? What kind of example would I set?
Then, lead yourself quietly, steadily, with intention. That’s where real discipline begins.
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