To subdue an enemy without fighting is the greatest of skills. Sun Tzu

We all train to improve our martial arts skills as warriors. We have confidence that we can defend ourselves and those who depend on us, but we should only use these skills when there is no other option available to us.

In Sun Tzu’s famous book, The Art of War, he tells us that it is a greater skill to subdue the enemy without actually having to resort to fighting. The word “subdue” means to pacify or control. We should try to pacify the enemy. We should try to defuse the situation with words or gestures. Do what you can to de-escalate the situation without fighting.

The hard part of pacifying the enemy, for the warrior, is swallowing some of your pride. It takes a lot of discipline and confidence to swallow your pride in order to pacify some rude, aggressive guy who you would rather lay out on the floor. But, as a warrior, it is one of those things which you have to discipline yourself to do. Nobody said that living the warrior lifestyle is easy.

Don’t look at these situations like you are letting the other person get the best of you, but rather as a training exercise in the art of war. You are actually controlling the enemy without him even knowing that he is being controlled and manipulated.

You are sharpening your arsenal of weapons. Study the art of verbal self-defense and learn how to diffuse potentially dangerous situations without resorting to the use of your martial arts skills. Victories of this kind are even more rewarding than physical conquests.

Bohdi Sanders ~ author of the TOP 15 Bestseller, BUSHIDO: The Way of the Warrior.