The Art of War by Sun Tzu | Episode 16: Momentum Can Be Created - The Moment 'Orthodox' and 'Unorthodox' Decide Victory or Defeat (Strategic Momentum)

Why does the gap widen all at once?

At first, there is almost no difference.

・Abilities are similar
・Conditions are not much different
・The start is the same

And yet,
from a certain moment on, it becomes irreversible.

The more you try to catch up,
the wider the gap becomes.

The chapter on Strategic Momentum
explains this 'moment when the gap is born'.

Victory and defeat are not decided little by little

Many people think that
victory and defeat are decided gradually.

However, Sun Tzu
does not see it that way.

Victory and defeat
are decided all at once.

Moreover, that moment
is almost invisible from the outside.

Victory and defeat are not decided in a 'visible form' little by littleat all.

Orthodox and Unorthodox

There is an extremely important concept
that appears in the chapter on Strategic Momentum.

Orthodox (Zheng)
Unorthodox (Qi)

Orthodox is a frontal movement.
Basic
Standard path

Unorthodox is change.
Unexpected
Behind the scenes

Sun Tzu
does not pit these two against each other.

You cannot win with just the Orthodox

The Orthodox is stable.
It is reproducible.
However, it does not become the decisive blow.

If you fight only with the Orthodox,
you won't win, but you won't lose either.

In other words,
it becomes a stalemate.

You cannot continue with just the Unorthodox

On the other hand,
there are also people who aim only for the Unorthodox.

The Unorthodox works temporarily.
It has the element of surprise.
It is easy to produce results.

However,
it cannot be reproduced.
It is exhausting.
Eventually, it will be seen through.

It is the 'order' that decides victory or defeat

What the chapter on Strategic Momentum talks about is
theorderof the Orthodox and the Unorthodox.

First, create a form with the Orthodox
Fix the opponent in place
Restrict their movement

On top of that,
the Unorthodox enters.

The Unorthodox
has no meaning on its own.
It is effective precisely because the Orthodox exists.

Where the small gap is born

The gap is not born
in flashy scenes.

・The moment the opponent can no longer move
・The moment their options are reduced
・The moment their judgment is delayed

At this time,
a very small Unorthodox move enters.

Then,
the gap widens all at once.

Why reversals are unlikely to happen

After the gap has widened,
a reversal almost never happens.

That is because
it is no longer a difference in strength,
but a difference in position.

From a high place to a low place.
The flow will not return.

The reason why you can't reach it even if you try hard

After the gap has widened,
people try to fill it with effort.

Increase the amount of action
Cut down on time
Push yourself

But that is
an act of going against the momentum.

Therefore,
even if you try hard, it only becomes painful.

The reality shown by the chapter on Strategic Momentum

The Military Momentum chapter
reveals a brutal reality.

・Gaps cannot be closed later
・Victory or defeat is decided along the way
・Effort is not a panacea

That is why Sun Tzu
seeks to decide victory or defeat
while the gap is still small.

Applying this to the modern day

In modern terms,

・Competitors are unable to move
・Customers cannot choose anyone else
・Options are narrowed down to one

At this point,
even the smallest differentiation
becomes the deciding factor.

Core Message

What determines victory or defeat
is not great power.

When small differences
are applied in the correct order,
they become an irreversible gap.

Secure with the orthodox,
and win with the unorthodox.

This is
the core of the Military Momentum chapter.

Next Episode Preview

Next time,
we will go even deeper.
Episode 17 | Why do results change even with the 'same strategy'?
～The 'human' problem that the Military Momentum chapter leaves for last～

Both form and momentum are in place.
Yet, there are times when you still cannot win.

What remains at the end is the 'human' problem.
The Military Momentum chapter will delve into that.

Sun Tzu's Art of War Series Table of Contents *You can check all episodes up to the latest article