Do you find yourself engaging in fights that you can’t win? I’m not really talking about real, physical, fist-flying fights, but everyday fights. In reality, many of the decisions you make can be characterized as a fight. Purchasing a house, buying a car, and buying stock are all things that can be characterized as a battle.
If you feel that your always losing in life, the problem may not be bad luck or poor probabilities; the problem may be that you are fighting battles you can’t, or probably won’t win. The solution is to pick battles you can win. That sounds easier said than done, right?
How To Pick Your Battles
Decisions by definition allow you to make a choice between two or more options. Whether the option be to speak or stay quiet, say yes or say no, you ultimately have the choice whether you want to wage war or not. If you don’t think you can win the battle, or the damages may be too great, then back off for now.
If you need to pick a fight, then pick one you can win. Are you buying a car? Buy one you can afford. Don’t buy one you can “probably” afford, and don’t buy one you can afford if this or that happens.
Regroup yourself, consider your options, and think of how you want to approach the situation. There may be an instance where the battle comes knocking on your door. If this happens, then all you can do is make the best choice possible (Sorry, but the explanation really is that obvious).
Why Such Basic Information?
I know this all seems very elementary, but sometimes a little reminder is good. How many foreclosures, repossessions, and bankruptcies have you seen that were most likely the result of people waging wars they couldn’t win? It’s easy to roll your eyes when you read basic things like this, but it’s a whole different situation putting these things into practice.
So, while you may already understand these things, think of them as a reminder to not fight battles you can’t win. Now, I will leave you with some additional, reputable resources that further exemplify this point.
31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.”
– Luke 14:31-32, Holy Bible, NIV
So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.
If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose.
If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself.”– The Art of War, Chapter 3: Attack By Stratagem
