Sun Tzu 99 Deep Ditch

“Sun Tzu wrote, If we wish to fight, the enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he be sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch.”

Let that sink in for a moment.

He's not talking about waiting for the perfect conditions. He’s saying that even when the odds seem stacked against you—even when life has barricaded itself behind walls and dug itself into a fortress—you can still take control. You can still force a response. You are not powerless.

Right now, maybe your "enemy" is fear. Maybe it’s procrastination. Maybe it’s a mountain of bills, self-doubt, burnout, or just a world that keeps telling you “not yet.” But Sun Tzu reminds us: even those enemies, even when they’re dug in deep, can be brought into battle—on your terms.

How?

With strategy. With timing. With relentless will.

Too many people are waiting for the enemy to come out of the castle. Waiting for the job to call. Waiting for the perfect time to start. Waiting for motivation. Waiting for clarity. Waiting, waiting, waiting…

But you are the one with power. You’re the general in this fight. You don’t need permission to make your move.

Want that new career? Force the engagement—take the course, send the email, build the project, start the hustle.

Want better health? Force the engagement—schedule the workout, empty the junk drawer, prep the meals.

Want peace in your life? Force the engagement—set the boundary, walk away from chaos, speak up, shut the door.

Stop waiting for the conditions to change. Stop hoping the enemy gets bored and comes out to play on your terms. Be the one who dictates the terms.

Sun Tzu never said it would be easy—he said it would be possible. And possible is enough. Possible means you can move. You can act. You can shift the tide.

That rampart? That ditch? That obstacle that looks immovable? It only looks that way until you lean in and make your move. Obstacles aren’t permanent—they're puzzles. And you’re not some lost rookie—you’re the one holding the map.

So here's your move today: Identify one place where you've been standing still—waiting. Now force the engagement. Don't wait for your fear to vanish or for everything to align perfectly. Engage. Strike. Push the tempo. Make the enemy react to you.

Because once you move with purpose, once you act with strategy, the walls will crumble, the ditches will fill, and you’ll see: the fight was never about muscle—it was about mindset.

You're not just here to survive the war. You're here to win it.

Now go make your move.

Email us at [e-mail]