More than Just a New Year Wish

The most common greeting for the Chinese New Year is GongXiFaCai 恭喜发财 which means “Congratulations and may you be prosperous!". It is just a good wish. But you can go further to make the wish comes true. That is when you know the way to prosperity.

Since it is Chinese New Year time, I shall share the wisdom of Ancient Chinese, and more specifically the Sun Zi's Art of War.  Sun Zi's Art of War is more than teaching you about how to win every time. It is all about getting the maximum net profits and at the same time minimize the risks. It teaches us to always to observe carefully, collect information, and only make decisions based on evidence and not by chance, luck or even prayer. It is also about finding out all the potential risks and pitfalls. It is a situation based, outside-in, threats before opportunities kind of thinking. It is in the opposite order of the SWOT (Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats) analysis. So, it can be called TOWS, Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Opportunities. Because if we cannot overcome the threats, there are no opportunities for us to enjoy. 

For for this Chinese New Year, I wish a happy and prosperous New Year by doing TOWS and not SWOT for you to make wise decisions that bring in the prosperity.

For more on Sun Zi's Art of War, see Strength alone has no meaning - Reorder Your SWOT

and Sun Zi and Other Strategists(Gui Gu Zi).

If you are Christian, see The New Year Wishes from the Bible - 9 Steps to a Fulfilled Life

Lim Liat (c) 25 Jan 2017