Advantageous Aggression

If you have the will to win, you have achieved half your success; if you don't, you have achieved half your failure.

David Ambrose
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Enter smiling.
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Who wants to be at war all the time? Who wants to go into battle every day? Why is it that sometimes there seems to be a phalanx of enemies lined up to defeat us? And what do we do about it?

Years ago I read a book on military strategy, written by a US Army General. (My reading choices are eclectic. I have grown used to having them scornfully challenged. "What are you reading THAT for?" Every good book is a textbook for living.)

The book I read pointed out two very important things about engaging an enemy. Vitally important to any army are supply and communication. If you can cut off those things from the opposing army you might be able to win a battle without firing a shot. The reason being that you will demoralize the enemy. It's the principle behind laying a siege. Surround the enemy, cut them off from all supply and communication, and they will soon be ready for defeat and surrender. Once they lose the will to fight, the fight is over.

As a result of learning that tactic, I've noticed in how many subtle ways the things that trouble my life are designed to demoralize me, to make me surrender, throw down my weapons and quit the field.

The worst part of the demoralization process is that one tends to believe that hopelessness and despair are a result of one's own thinking. That's when one has to turn the thinking around, change the tactic and find a way to poke a hole in the enemy's ranks. It has been done, it can be done, it will be done if quitting is not an option.

"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more:"
"The game's afoot: follow your spirit."
(Shakespeare)

Beware of doubt, fear, confusion, discouragement, despair. Beware of demoralization. That's the real enemy.

Vagabond Journeys
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Keep smiling.
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