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Way of the Champion: Lessons from Sun Tzu's the Art of War and Other Tao Wisdom for Sports & Life
Martial artists, great warriors, coaches, generals, and successful corporate CEOs have all effectively used the strategies for winning found in Sun Tzu's Art of War. Authors Jerry Lynch and Chungliang Al Huang, using lessons from the The Art of War, as well as other ancient Taoist books such as the I Ching and Tao Te Ching, teach readers to develop the capacities and qualities that make a champion-such as high self-esteem, courage, fortitude, determination, perseverance, tenacity, self-awareness, integrity, the ability to take risks, and the ability to learn from failure. The emphasis on self-awareness, tactical positioning, and strategic advantage means that practitioners win through inner growth and self-improvement-giving them a universal competitive edge.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 15, 2006
74 people are currently reading
429 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 10, 2015
incredibly insightful
January 10, 2022
This text is book of wisdom to a happy life and a map for your journey. Lynch uses Eastern philosophies to provide wisdom for both self and teams (business, family and life in general). It's the type book you can put down and pick up at different times and continue to attain new information. It provides various techniques that benefits teams in quest for self and team improvement in the march towards final goals. It is designed for all readers be where ever you are in life. Your journey as Lynch states it's like the great rivers of the world. At times he moves swift, other times it slows and seems to stop. Other times it might appear to move backwards. However in each situation the river continues to move forward towards the goal. Life is similar, move with it towards your goals whatever they might be.
January 28, 2020
This is a great primer for a beginning coach/leader. The references that Dr. Lynch cites throughout range from ancient Chinese philosophy to the most modern successful coaches. When taken together they create, really, a simple, general, easy to follow and understand method of promoting and creating success, not just in sports, but in every arena of life. It is a fantastic starting point for anyone embarking on a quest to succeed that can be easily finished in a single sitting.
January 14, 2016
Mixing his personal experience as a sports psychologist with lessons from Sun Tzu’s, The Art of War, and Tao Wisdom, Jerry Lynch has written a thoughtful book on the mental side of sports, The Way of the Champion. Not just any old sports psychologist, Dr. Lynch has worked with over 33 Division I men’s and women’s national champions in tennis, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, field hockey and volleyball. He has also worked with a wide range of pro athletes in the NBA, NFL, and PGA. This is not surprising at all when you consider Lynch’s approach to the game. Similar to the Art of War, winning is broken down into four categories, self-awareness, strategic positioning, competitive advantage and leadership with team unity. Each of those categories is then divided into three bite-sized chunks of timeless information, guaranteed to help athletes and coaches alike.
This book is full of so much information that the introduction suggests that you read the topic that is most important to you first. As usual, I chose to begin with myself so I began reading the self-awareness section first. Afterwards, I jumped around the book a great deal and then decided just to read it from cover to cover. There are times when it felt a little repetitive, so if you aren’t a total behavioral science/sports freak, then I would probably go to the part in the book that most interests you.
I immediately knew Part 1, the Self-Awareness section, was going to meet my high expectations after reading Jerry Lynch’s definition of self-knowledge. He defined it as, “an accurate appraisal of who you are and your levels of physical, mental, spiritual and emotional fitness.” For some reason, using the word fitness after mental, spiritual, and emotional really stood out to me. I mean everyone knows about physical fitness, but the others are talked about far less often. These words stopped me in my tracks as I sat the book on my lap for a moment to reflect on the areas of my life that were “out of shape.” This was the beginning of a very fond relationship that I now have with this book.
My fondness for the book continued to grow in the purpose and vision chapter as well because this chapter featured several writing exercises. Since I really enjoy writing and understand its ability to manifest things in our lives, I spent time writing the answers to a few of the exercises. I didn’t spend a great deal of time here because I was already knee deep in my own 2016 Road Map which consists of 106 questions that were similar in nature to the ones being offered here. Rounding out the chapter were helpful tips from the Art of War on knowing your opponent. Now, this was certainly something I had never given much thought to. I have always been like the late great coach John Wooden, who always put more energy into his players than his opponents. However, I did have a change of heart after reading some of the tips offered by The Art of War. The ones I will be sure to remember are:
1) Know your opponent’s environment well.
2) Find out about his/her desires, hopes, and aspirations.
3) Consult with others who have competed against them.
Part 3, The Way of Competitive Advantage, explained how to deal with adversity and was the most meaningful section of the book in my opinion. This was due in part to a recent injury I suffered while bench pressing max weigh. My right pectoral minor muscle had been partially torn, and now my arm was resting in a sling. The body I work so hard to strengthen was suddenly not up to par and my mind was racing, looking for answers as to why I had suffered yet another injury. In November 2012, it was a partially torn Achilles tendon. Winter 2013 brought a hernia. Now, December 2015, was bringing my first-ever torn muscle. Each time it has been a traumatic and difficult crisis to get through. This is where the book became so meaningful. I learned that, in Chinese, crisis means “danger” and “opportunity.” The I Ching, China’s ancient book of transformation says, “look for wisdom in your acceptance of these times.” With these words in mind, I suddenly began to see my injury as an opportunity to rest my body and reexamine the way I was training it. This mental breakthrough led to a more “macro” approach to personal training with the development of a well-rounded 12-month plan to include more rest, massage, yoga, pilates, kettlebells and bodyweight training. I will also make sure that I account for rest time in the form of vacations, holidays, and an off-season. Mmmm, I thought, “this is the way of the champion.”
By now, I am sure you realize how much this book has meant to me. I happened to be reading it at the right time, but you don’t have to be sidelined with an injury to enjoy the book. It offers several practical ways to change your behavior and perform at your highest level in sports and life. You just have to know and understand that things aren’t always what they seem. Make errors, plan for mistakes, and when they arrive, see the yin and yang in life and don’t be afraid to embrace it. I like to think of my future in athletics and life the way Jerry Lynch says all the best athletes in the world do. First, they have a high tolerance for setbacks. Second, they make more mistakes than anyone. They learn from their mistakes, improve, then succeed. Here’s to much continued success.
This book is full of so much information that the introduction suggests that you read the topic that is most important to you first. As usual, I chose to begin with myself so I began reading the self-awareness section first. Afterwards, I jumped around the book a great deal and then decided just to read it from cover to cover. There are times when it felt a little repetitive, so if you aren’t a total behavioral science/sports freak, then I would probably go to the part in the book that most interests you.
I immediately knew Part 1, the Self-Awareness section, was going to meet my high expectations after reading Jerry Lynch’s definition of self-knowledge. He defined it as, “an accurate appraisal of who you are and your levels of physical, mental, spiritual and emotional fitness.” For some reason, using the word fitness after mental, spiritual, and emotional really stood out to me. I mean everyone knows about physical fitness, but the others are talked about far less often. These words stopped me in my tracks as I sat the book on my lap for a moment to reflect on the areas of my life that were “out of shape.” This was the beginning of a very fond relationship that I now have with this book.
My fondness for the book continued to grow in the purpose and vision chapter as well because this chapter featured several writing exercises. Since I really enjoy writing and understand its ability to manifest things in our lives, I spent time writing the answers to a few of the exercises. I didn’t spend a great deal of time here because I was already knee deep in my own 2016 Road Map which consists of 106 questions that were similar in nature to the ones being offered here. Rounding out the chapter were helpful tips from the Art of War on knowing your opponent. Now, this was certainly something I had never given much thought to. I have always been like the late great coach John Wooden, who always put more energy into his players than his opponents. However, I did have a change of heart after reading some of the tips offered by The Art of War. The ones I will be sure to remember are:
1) Know your opponent’s environment well.
2) Find out about his/her desires, hopes, and aspirations.
3) Consult with others who have competed against them.
Part 3, The Way of Competitive Advantage, explained how to deal with adversity and was the most meaningful section of the book in my opinion. This was due in part to a recent injury I suffered while bench pressing max weigh. My right pectoral minor muscle had been partially torn, and now my arm was resting in a sling. The body I work so hard to strengthen was suddenly not up to par and my mind was racing, looking for answers as to why I had suffered yet another injury. In November 2012, it was a partially torn Achilles tendon. Winter 2013 brought a hernia. Now, December 2015, was bringing my first-ever torn muscle. Each time it has been a traumatic and difficult crisis to get through. This is where the book became so meaningful. I learned that, in Chinese, crisis means “danger” and “opportunity.” The I Ching, China’s ancient book of transformation says, “look for wisdom in your acceptance of these times.” With these words in mind, I suddenly began to see my injury as an opportunity to rest my body and reexamine the way I was training it. This mental breakthrough led to a more “macro” approach to personal training with the development of a well-rounded 12-month plan to include more rest, massage, yoga, pilates, kettlebells and bodyweight training. I will also make sure that I account for rest time in the form of vacations, holidays, and an off-season. Mmmm, I thought, “this is the way of the champion.”
By now, I am sure you realize how much this book has meant to me. I happened to be reading it at the right time, but you don’t have to be sidelined with an injury to enjoy the book. It offers several practical ways to change your behavior and perform at your highest level in sports and life. You just have to know and understand that things aren’t always what they seem. Make errors, plan for mistakes, and when they arrive, see the yin and yang in life and don’t be afraid to embrace it. I like to think of my future in athletics and life the way Jerry Lynch says all the best athletes in the world do. First, they have a high tolerance for setbacks. Second, they make more mistakes than anyone. They learn from their mistakes, improve, then succeed. Here’s to much continued success.
September 29, 2023
Awesome blend of eastern thought and coaching practices! Tips and practical tools that I am now incorporating into my coaching skills.
May 7, 2024
It's way more sporty than I intended to read
January 26, 2024
Short, easy read for anyone interested in the combination of ancient wisdom, self-reflection, discipline, personal growth, and competition. Could be a good resource for young people and athletes looking to dip their toes into self-reflection & wisdom traditions.
Tip: For individuals with perfectionist or self-critical tendencies, this book may perpetuate that if taken too seriously. But, the teachings of “Not doing is doing”, “soft is strong”, and “beginners mind” in the latter chapters could benefit that population.
Tip: For individuals with perfectionist or self-critical tendencies, this book may perpetuate that if taken too seriously. But, the teachings of “Not doing is doing”, “soft is strong”, and “beginners mind” in the latter chapters could benefit that population.
February 18, 2016
Not enough clear take home messages for me. There is a very self-help feel to this book which completely turns me off even though that is exactly what it is. Lynch spends a lot of time getting the reader to write down feelings, affirmations, and general positive energy. All not bad things but the Saturday Night Live skit kept popping into my head "....and gosh darn it, people like me!" The affirmations were all mostly the same thing....telling myself that everything is good.
The parts of the book I enjoyed the most were the direct Tao Wisdom and Sun Tzu quotes. Perhaps I should just go to the source although I have tried to read The Art of War before and failed.
Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence is a much better book with tangible examples and very short, to the point mental exercises.
The parts of the book I enjoyed the most were the direct Tao Wisdom and Sun Tzu quotes. Perhaps I should just go to the source although I have tried to read The Art of War before and failed.
Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence is a much better book with tangible examples and very short, to the point mental exercises.
July 21, 2013
Required summer reading for my college team... It was helpful and gave some good advice on the mental side of athletics, something that is often ignored in the beginning of a sport. In particularly found the sections on determination inspirational. It was a bit repetitive, which was frustrating. But other than that, helpful for someone looking to get an edge in sports (or life).
August 6, 2013
I found this book to be a useful tool as a new personal trainer in the health and fitness industry today.
Its a great journey for your mental finesse that is required to be 'great' in all aspects of the word.
Not only is it a 'goodread' for those in the world of athletics and coaching, it can be relayed to virtually any area in life, business, and relationships.
Its a great journey for your mental finesse that is required to be 'great' in all aspects of the word.
Not only is it a 'goodread' for those in the world of athletics and coaching, it can be relayed to virtually any area in life, business, and relationships.
April 13, 2008
Such is life. Strategy, war, politics, and corporate life.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews