The Art of War: Deception as a Military Strategy

The Art of War: Deception as a Military Strategy

What did Sun Tzu mean by “all warfare is based on deception?” How can deception help one secure a military advantage? As a well-known translation of Sun Tzu puts it, “all warfare is based on deception.” According to Sun Tzu, the author of The Art of War, deception is the key to gaining a military advantage over your opponent. Here’s how to use deception to get the upper hand over your opponent.

Measuring Progress: You’re Doing It Wrong

Measuring Progress: You’re Doing It Wrong

What’s the best way to measure progress? Why are results not a good indicator of progress? People generally track progress by measuring results. The problem with using results as an indicator of progress is that they don’t tell you how to improve. For example, if your goal is to save up a certain amount of money, your only measurement might be the number in your bank account: If it’s lower than your goal, you don’t learn anything about how to increase it. A better way of measuring progress is to track your efforts, rather than just the results. Here’s why efforts

How Memories Work: A Look at the Encoding Process

How Memories Work: A Look at the Encoding Process

Do you know the science behind how memories work? How does your brain process the memories you create every day? Dr. John Medina explains how memories work in his book Brain Rules through a process called “memory encoding.” There are two types of memory encoding (just like there are two types of memories), and each category assists in forming, storing, and retrieving memories. Here’s the specific process behind how memories work.

Stephen Hawking: AI Might Become a Threat to Us

Stephen Hawking: AI Might Become a Threat to Us

Why does Stephen Hawking consider artificial intelligence to be a form of life? How can humanity avoid a disaster like the one in I, Robot? According to Stephen Hawking, AI fulfills the two requirements to be considered living. Hawking warns that artificial intelligence may even become conscious one day, and if it does, it better be on the side of humanity rather than against it. Here’s more of what Hawking had to say about AI.

How to Win Competitions When the Margins Are Slim

How to Win Competitions When the Margins Are Slim

Is there a trick to winning competitions? How do the world’s top athletes consistently stay on top of their game? According to American chess player Josh Waitzkin, the key to winning competitions, even when the margins are incredibly slim, is to operate on a deeper, more subtle level than your opponents. In practice, this means achieving enhanced perception through deep refinement of your skills and control of your mental arena. Here’s how to win competitions even when the margins are small.

How to Master a Skill: Deepen Your Fundamentals

How to Master a Skill: Deepen Your Fundamentals

What is the key to mastering a skill? Should you focus on one technique or diversify your practice? According to Joshua Waitzkin, the author of The Art of Learning, real skill comes from a deep, singular focus. In terms of skill-building, he argues that you reach excellence by refining a set of fundamental skills, rather than practicing a wide range of techniques. For example, focus on learning a single style of piano, like baroque classical, rather than trying to learn classical, jazz, and ragtime piano all at once.  Here’s how to master a skill, according to Waitzkin.

Sun Tzu: Attack by Stratagem, Rather Than Force

Sun Tzu: Attack by Stratagem, Rather Than Force

What is “attack by strategem”? Why is it best to attack by strategem rather than force? Sun Tzu said that the best outcome in a war is to take your opponent whole and intact instead of obliterating it completely—that’s the premise of attack by stratagem. If the battle is won, but the opponent’s forces and country are obliterated, that’s a lesser victory than if you are able to overcome them and force a surrender.  Keep reading to learn about the attack by stratagem tactic.

How to Use Gamification in the Workplace

How to Use Gamification in the Workplace

What is gamification? What are some examples of gamification in the workplace? Gamification is the practice of using gaming elements such as scores, leaderboards, and achievement badges to make work more engaging. In their book The 4 Disciplines of Execution, Chris McChesney, Jim Huling, and Sean Covey suggest using a scoreboard to gamify workplace dynamics and improve team engagement. Here’s how to use gamification in the workplace.