After listing the nine basic situations and the right
response to them, Sun Tzu explores them more deeply through the course of
this chapter. Many of these detailed discussions address the management of
people, especially in the context of winning the support of followers when
our situations grow ever more challenging as they do during the course of a
campaign.
Much of this second part of this chapter explores, the
"philosophy of an invader." The philosophy of the attitude that you must
keep moving forward, growing and expanding. This philosophy of an
invader is a philosophy of self-reliance, courage, and resourcefulness. As
you move into new territories, you are confident that you can learn its
rules and master it.
When you move into new areas, you must accept set-backs,
difficulties, and outright failures. Your desire to win new territory must
outweigh your desire for control and predictability. You accept the risk
with the confidence that you will find a way to make it pay.
However, just because you accept the challenges inherent in
making progress, this doesn't mean that you are reckless. You must avoid
traps and react appropriately as your situation advances over time.
