Strategy Powerhouse

5 Sensitive Skin Care Tips

2009-09-05T18:17:00.001+08:00

A lot of people claim that they have sensitive skin when they break out after using a certain product or were exposed to the sun. However, most of than not, the culprits behind the blotchy skin and zits are using inappropriate products for one's skin type and bad skin habits. If you are one of the many who break out or itch after sun exposure or using a product, it is a good idea to determine if sensitive skin is really the cause or something else.

How to tell if you have sensitive skin?

Generally, sensitive skin is thin with visible broken capillaries under the skin's surface. Sensitive skin also has fine pores. When exposed to moderate changes in temperature, sensitive skin reddens easily, whether from cold or heat. Sensitive skin tends to rash easily when exposed to dirt or even moderate strength skin care products. If your skin manifests these signs, chances are high that you really have sensitive skin. For a thorough skin assessment, a visit to a dermatologist is in order.

Since caring for sensitive skin can be quite difficult, it is advisable to limit the use of skin care products. Generally, simple skin care regimens are more effective on sensitive skin since it prevents product overload. Sensitive skin care relies on strengthening the skin to reduce sensitivity and increase tolerance.

How to care for sensitive skin?

1. Hydrate your skin.

Sensitive skin is prone to dryness which can lead to increased sensitivity. Drinking eight or more glasses of water and applying a lightweight and hypoallergenic moisturizer a day can help restore your skin's moisture or lipid barrier that acts as defense mechanism against allergens.

2. Eat skin-friendly food.

Fruits, vegetables, and other water-rich foods are essential in correcting skin imbalances. The vitamin, mineral, and water content of these foods hydrate your skin and restore its health. On the other hand, eating spicy food and drinking alcohol and caffeinated drinks can increase your skin's sensitivity.

3. Limit sun exposure.

Sun exposure can cause sensitive skin to redden and burn easily. Before going out, apply sun protection on your face using sunscreen and on your body with sunblock lotion. You can extend the protection to your lips to prevent them from darkening. Applying an SPF-rich lip balm under your lipstick or gloss can help protect your lips. Umbrellas, sunglasses, and hats protect your body, eyes, and face from overexposure to the sun.

4. Protect skin at all times.

Even when you are indoors, your skin still needs protection. If you are staying in an airconditioned room or one with forced heating, apply a lightweight moisturizer frequently. this will prevent your skin from drying out due to the extreme temperatures.

5. Avoid products with artificial colorants and synthetic fragrances.

Colorants and fragrances are added to skin care products only for increasing marketing appeal. Your skin do not actually benefit from these additions. Often, they even cause allergic reactions and increase your skin's sensitivity.

Aside from these tips, it is also a good idea to switch to skin care products that are specially formulated for sensitive skin. A thorough skin assessment and consultation with a dermatologist can reveal to you skin care techniques and products that can help strengthen your skin and minimize its sensitivity.

5 Easy Ways to Soothe your Mind

2009-09-03T22:03:00.001+08:00

Below I’ve listed 5 basic points that have helped to lift my spirit and with practice will also help yours:

1. Meditation! Meditation is one of the greatest self healing tools available and costs nothing except a little of your time! There are many meditation techniques out there, find one that suits you and begin.

By putting some meditation music on and spending time in quiet contemplation it can soothe your soul and reconnect you with the highest aspect of yourself.

2. Aromatherapy and Essential Oils.

Rebalance and rejuvenate your spirit through blending a selection of essential oils together in an aromatherapy oil burner. I’ve found the following blend works extremely well when there’s a need for nurturing, support and healing:

Approximately an hour before retiring to bed place a few drops of the following in an aromatherapy oil burner with some water (for safety’s sake, extinguish the flame before lights are turned off for the night):

4 drops Jasmine

4 drops Rose

4 drops Neroli

3 drops Lavender

3 drops Bergamot

The smell divine! I use this one every now and again and not only sleep like a baby but anxiety and stress disappears, and feels like the weight of the world has lifted from my shoulders by the following morning! (If you have a small bedroom you might like to half the amount of drops)

3. Breathe! Stand with feet a shoulder-length apart. Take 3 slow and deep breaths using the diaphragm muscles. Breathe in through the nose, and breathe out through slightly parted lips. As you do these imagine you’re inhaling your personal power, filling every cell in your body, from your diaphragm up to the top of your head.

Be your personal power and notice how much taller, straighter and stronger you become. Repeat the steps above.

4. Be in the Present Moment. Take a few deep breaths and focus totally on this moment, right now.

If you’re reading a book or magazine, or even this article, totally focus on the words and take in their meaning. There is only you and this article now in the present moment.

If you’re in the workplace, focus totally on the task at hand, and only this task, and what you must do in order to complete it. Nothing else matters except you and the task at hand.

5. Set an intention. When I’m on the lookout for something new and useful for me, I set my intention on what it is I’m after.

For example, I may want to find a book that will give me answers in regards to directing me to another healing modality or skill. I then meditate on this intention, give it a timeframe then open my heart to it. Lo and behold I will have a book in my hand in no time at all! I love the power of intention – I also use intention for getting a parking space when I go shopping!

These days I rarely get sick and when I do and have a medical checkup, doctors tell me I’m actually very healthy (surely they can find something so I can get some sympathy around here!) which also includes blood test results.

I still do sadness and unhappiness well (I’m still human) though neither lasts long whereas in the past it would last many days sometimes weeks. What lasts much longer is a peaceful state.

When using the 5 points above, my spirit lifts and life once again becomes more peaceful and joyful.

4 Easy Ways To Relieve Headache

2009-09-02T20:17:00.001+08:00

Having headache is annoying and sometimes it is difficult for us to avoid. Mostly when we are under pressure, headache appeared automatically. If it gets worse, we might faint due to the pain we felt.

A headache is a condition of mild to severe pain in the head. It can also attack at our upper back or neck. There are different types of headache, but most of the time headache brought on by stress, too long in front of computer, noise and others.

One of the main causes of headache is tension in the muscles of the neck, scalp and jaw. We usually deal with it by taking some sleep or consume over-the counter aspirin to release our pain. However, can we do this at any place?

Obviously, we cannot sleep at the office or at the mall. In addition, we might run of aspirin when headache strike us.

Do not worry! The easiest way to handle headache and we can do it everywhere is through massage. Massage is the practice of applying pressure or vibration to the soft tissues of the body, to heal injury, relieve psychological stress, manage pain, improve circulation and relieve tension.

When we suffer from headache, we can help ourselves with self-massage. Simple and everybody can do it, either at work or home.

Here are four easy ways in massage to heal our headache.

1. Eyes Area Massage -- Close your eyes. Place your middle fingers to your eyes that are above cheekbones. Massage that area gently but firmly in circular motion for 1 minute,

2. Eyes to Nose Massage – Using thumb, go along the underside of eyebrows (along the bone on top of eye socket). Feel where this bone meets the bridge of your nose and eyes and find a point where there is a small indentation. Very gentle pressure, press your thumbs into the points. You can do it four times by holding and press that area for 10 seconds in each press.

3. Neck Massage -- Massage a point where you can feel it by moving the middle fingers of your hands to the back of your head and feel the base of your skull. Specially, at the tops of your neck that meets the base of your skull. Massage for a minutes using finger tips gentle in circular movement.

4. Scalp Massage – Let your palms of your hands massage your scalp on the top of your skull for a minute gently.

Once you have done all those massages, start taking a deep breath. Lift your shoulders towards your ears for five to 10 seconds to relief remaining pain, and then let them drop back down into their natural position.

You are going to feel better when you can do that for a couple of times. Your massage will relief your headache and your head will feel less weighty.

10 Ways to Avoid a Heart Attack

2009-08-20T20:03:00.002+08:00

A heart attack is known as a myocardial infarction. This occurs when the heart muscle is damaged or does not receive enough oxygen. Many cardiac related problems occur due to blockages in arteries that carry purified blood away from the heart to different parts of the body. Another cause is the formation of blood clots.

Very often, it is quite difficult to differentiate between a heart attack and heartburn. The common signs of a heart attack are a tightness, pain, or discomfort in the chest. Sweating, nausea, and vomiting that are accompanied by intense pressure in the chest. A radiating and intense pain in the chest that extends from the chest to the left arm. A shortness of breath for more than a few minutes. If you have any of the above you must consult the doctor or go to the emergency rooms.

If you even think you are having a heart attack you must call for a cardiac care ambulance, and put under your tongue a sorbitrate or chew an aspirin. If you are allergic to aspirin don’t take one. At the hospital care will include rapid thrombolysis, cardiac catheterization, and angioplasty. They will also administer intravenously clot busting medications.

The risk factors for a heart attack include: smoking, diabetes, high levels of cholesterol, hypertension, family history of heart diseases, atherosclerosis, lack of exercise, obesity, and fast foods.

Reduce the risks of a heart attack by:

1. Quitting smoking.

2. Eating healthy. Avoid fatty foods, excess salt, and red meats.

3. Controlling high blood pressure and diabetes.

4. Ensuring regular exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Walking is most beneficial.

5. Preventing obesity. Doing all you can to maintain weight.

6. Choosing to live a healthy lifestyle.

7. Practicing meditation.

8. Doing regular relaxation and breathing exercises.

9. Undergoing periodic cardiac evaluations.

10. Including foods that are rich in anti-oxidants in your diet.

19 Fat Burning Foods

2009-08-13T20:52:00.001+08:00

How many time did You look for the miracle food for weight loss? Maybe with exotic name and fancy look? Well, maybe you're forgetting those commonly available foods, often undervalued but second to none in terms of detox and metabolism booster qualities. here's a list of 19 of them!

1.Gralic. Lots of minerals, enzymes and aminoacids; Vitamins A,B1,B2,B6,B12,C,D. Only 41 KCAL per 100 grams. Helps reactivate Your metabolism while keeping the cholesterol to rock low levels.

2. Banana. Sugars with little fats. Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Vitamins: A,C, Tannin and Serotonin. Only 66 Kcal per 100 grams. A great appetite suppressant snack.

3. Onion. Rich of Vitamins A,C,E, and of B group of vitamins. Also Potassium, Calcium, Sodium; help diuretic activity and a great cellulite fighter. Helps to keep blood sugars stables.

4. Med grass. Not much used in today's alimentation, but a great friend of weight loss. Helps curbing fats intake.

5. Strawberry. Low Sugars, Minerals and Vitamin C rich. Only 27 KCAL per 100 grams.

6. Corn Flakes. Cereals, Legumes mixed though. Helps a lot Your metabolism and only 14 KCAL per 100 grams.

7. Kiwi. Potassium rich and Calcium, Iron, Zinc too. great source of Vitamin C, lots of fibers, very helpfull to stimulate diuretic functions.

8. Salad. Rich of fibers and very poor in calories (only 14 KCAL per 100 grams); diuretic functions and appetite suppressant, thanks to big volume / low KCAL ratio. Lot of minerals too.

9. Lemon. Lowest sugar content for the same fruit family (only 2,3%), rich in Vitamins and only 11 KCAL per 100 grams. Helps blood circulation and fights cellulitis.

10. Apple. Vitamin C and E, Potassium, Magnesium, rich inn Tannin, great high cholesterol fighter.

11. Nut. Rich in Fats, Proteins, Sigars and Vitamins. Helps Fat Burning thanks to good Calciu+Magnesium contents.

12. Wheat. Only 319 KCAL per 100 grams and very rich in Proteins, Amynoacids, Iron, Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium. but also good content of Vitamins B. Helps diuretic functions and fights emotional eating.

13. Chicken. White meat, low fat content, limits intake of fats, sodium and cholesterol.

14. Rucola Salad. Great content of Vitamin A and C, and great Metabolism booster. Only 16 KCAL per 100 grams.

15. Soy. Rich in Proteins and Folic Acid. Fights Weight gaining and helps rebalancing metabolism.

16. Tea. contains fat burning caffeine, minerals and B group Vitamins. Stimulate Metabolism and has a 0 Calories intake.

17. Egg. Hyperproteic food. Lots of Minerals and Enzimes, helps grom non fatt mass which is crucial to encrease body' fat burning.

18. Wine. Contains antioxidantd substances that help protect the heart and fight aging.

19. Pumpkin. Rich in B,C,E Vitamins, minerals and only 18 KCAL per 100 grams. Helpd diuretic functions.

5 Tips To Keep On Exercising

2009-08-05T20:26:00.002+08:00

If your efforts at exercising are not going as well as you had planned, take a look at these tips. They might help get you back on track.

Tip #1 – Do Something You Enjoy

Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours at the gym peddling away on a stationary bike. It doesn’t mean you have to spend money on exercise gadgets you will likely never use, either. Anything you do to get your body moving is going to be better than doing nothing. Walking is an easy exercise that you can do just about anywhere, in any climate. Bike riding, dancing, gardening, weight lifting, swimming, playing a favorite sport, house cleaning and even playing in the yard with your children are just some of the ways you can add exercise into your daily routine.

Tip #2 – Schedule Time for Exercise

As you would a meeting or a doctor appointment, sometimes the only way to make time to exercise is to put it on your daily schedule. We’ve all got busy lives and we’re often so busy taking care of others that we never seem to make time for ourselves. Once exercise becomes part of your daily To-Do list, you’re more likely to do it. Some people have only a certain time during the day available for exercise while others will have to vary the time each day. Some people need a nudge and for them, exercising with a friend is a good solution. Choose whichever way works best for you. Just remember to actually go and do it!

Tip #3 – Remember that Exercise Can Energize

Even though you might feel too tired to exercise, give it a try anyway. You might be surprised to find how energized you feel while you’re at it and afterwards, when you’re finished. Exercise is a great stress-reliever too and if you know anything about stress, you know that it is one of the body’s biggest energy-sappers.

Tip #4 – Don’t be Afraid to Mix it up

Like anything that is done over and over again, exercise can become mundane. When you get bored with exercising, you’re less likely to keep at it. To keep from getting bored with your workout routine, change it. If you’re tired of walking, try cycling. If you’re into weight lifting, try alternating this with cardiovascular exercises throughout the week. Go bowling or play a game of tennis once in a while, and if you find you enjoy these types of activities, join up with a team.

Tip #5 – Always Begin by Warming up

Regardless of the type of exercise you choose, it is very important that you begin each session by warming up your muscles. Stretching helps prevent damage to muscle tissue and it gets your blood flowing. It gets your heart pumping, too. Just five minutes is all it takes to get your exercise session off to a good start.

Why Diets Fail?

2009-08-01T20:41:00.001+08:00

Over the years, there has been millions and millions of people who have tried countless numbers of different diets to try and lose weight. Equally so, there has been millions and millions of people who failed at these diets. If all of these diets are supposed to be designed to make you lose weight, then why do most of them fail to do that? Why is it that no matter what diet you try, it never seems to work? Perhaps the diet itself was no good. Maybe it was too expensive to stick with. It could be that there was no support. Possibly, it just seemed to take too long to lose weight. There is no doubt that there is great pressure over the last few years to look 'thin'.

So why do diets fail? That's the million dollar question. The main reason diets fail is we are guilty of falling for the latest cleaver marketing campaign. Over the last 10 years there has been a stack of diets on the market many endorsed by Hollywood stars.

Many of these diets DO work, BUT only short term. They often do produce quick weight loss and fantastic results. The problem is maintaining the weight loss as it is very difficult to stick to these eating plans. They are simply too boring. Once you lose the weight it is all too easy to slip back into your old ways and go back to your normal calorie intake. This will result in weight being put back on probably as fast as you lost it - often you will end up heavier that when you started the 'diet'.

Healthy eating plan
The best method to lose weight is through a healthy eating plan and exercise. It's about re-educating how you eat and what you eat. It's not rocket science. Don't fry food or take fast food takeaways. Cut out the chips and chocolate or least cut it back. Have fruit instead. Drink lots of water. If you are finding it difficult to stick to the healthy eating plan don't torture yourself, allow yourself a treat once a week, but don't over do it - always moderation.

Exercise is key
The bottom line is that exercise is good for you and helps with your entire wellbeing. It doesn't matter if you run, swim, play football or do 1-on-1 Pilates – exercise is what your body needs. Exercise will improve your muscle tone, help you control your weight, reduce your blood pressure, help prevent heart disease.

Let's face it: Not everyone can be thin. But you can reach and maintain your best weight! It's not easy. But it's possible. Your genes may affect your susceptibility to obesity, but some people simply eat too many calories. So battle the bulge with a plan that includes developing - and maintaining -a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. So in conclusion eat sensibly and maintain some sort of exercise even if it just a 10 minute walk each day!

5 Ways to Treat your Snoring Problem

2009-07-20T19:00:00.001+08:00

Regardless of the health issues (which are significant), snoring can play havoc with your relationship.

If you are at you wits end with being woken up every hour either to the sound of your own snoring, or being dug in the back and told to “Roll Over”; or if you are the long suffering sufferer of a snorer, then read over these five tips to snoring treatment.

SNORING TREATMENT TIP 1.

Take a look at your diet. Although this probably won’t be the complete snoring treatment answer, it is worth starting with what you’re eating and drinking. You could well have intolerance to certain foods which affects your breathing, especially when lying on you back. For example, too much (or an intolerance to) dairy produce is likely to cause you to become blocked up with mucus, when horizontal, this collects causing heavy breathing and snoring. Alcohol is another common offender.

SNORING TREATMENT TIP 2.

Being overweight is another significant contributor. Excess weight in the neck and chest puts pressure on the breathing passage.

SNORING TREATMENT TIP 3

Sleep on you side or front. Now this is easier said than done, because it’s hard to control your sleeping position when you are asleep! However, there is an old trick that may be worth considering. You could sow a walnut, table tennis ball or similar size object into the back of a shirt and wear that in bed. Each time you roll on your back it will dig into you, causing you to roll back again – providing you don’t take your shirt of in your sleep.

SNORING TREATMENT TIP 4

Use nasal strips. I found these to be very helpful, at least to start with. Nasal strips (often used by athletes) open the air passage for you, thus removing or preventing blockages. If your desperate it’s worth a try, but the cost can add up over the days, months and years.

SNORING TREATMENT TIP 5

I’ve saved the best until last. Exercising the muscles in your throat, tongue and doing breathing exercises can completely cure your snoring.

How to Not Let Stress Affect Your Weight

2009-07-19T20:33:00.000+08:00

In the present world of today we are always being bombarded with high levels of stress and nervousness. These stresses can be mental, environmental or physical. They place an huge strain on our physical and mental health.

Most of us are aware that unnecessary stress can affect our ability to think straight, our digestive system, adrenal glands and heart. Research has however shown that whenever a stressful circumstance arises, there is a knock on effect. Firstly stress restrictions the blood supply going to the stomach, this hampers the digestive system and a impermanent shut down of our resistant system may follow. If we are overwhelmed with stress for an extended period we are likely to experience fatigue and exhaustion.

Is stress affecting your weight loss battle?

Stress brought on by dieting is added to the personal and work life stresses that we face every day, often resulting in a "vicious cycle" of increased stress and increased food intake. People under stress tend to engage in self-defeating and unhealthy behaviors such as binge eating and there is strong biologic evidence that stressed-out people may tend to put on the pounds faster. "I'm stressed, therefore I eat." Many people complain that they overeat in response to workplace or personal stress. If this sounds like you, read the following tips for managing stress-related overeating to help you check this unhealthy habit.

1. Practice waiting. Postpone your instant gratification when hunger hits. Tell yourself you'll wait 10 to 30, minutes to eat. Chances are good if your cravings are only stress-related, they'll disappear when you allow yourself to become distracted.

2. Keep a food journal of what you eat each day. Knowing you have to write down every snack or nibble can be a good way to remind yourself to think before eating.

3. Enlist a friend's help - ideally one who also is tempted by stress-related cravings. When you feel like eating, write him/her a quick note or make a phone call.

4. Keep yourself nourished. Eat regular, healthy snacks to maintain your energy level. Skipping meals while under stress only prompts you to eat more, and unhealthily, when you do get around to eating.

5. Post some reminder messages wherever you're likely to see them when stress-related cravings begin. Use any message that works for you. Examples might be "Are you really hungry?" or "Think about why you're eating."

6. Physically remove tempting food items from your home or office. Never go shopping while hungry and always make a list of food items prior to shopping; bring home only what you feel good about eating.

7. Take time for yourself every day. Whether it's 10 minutes to reflect and relax, or whether it's some fun activity that will revitalize you, it's critical to do it. Health is not just physical, mental well-being is just as important, you deserve to mentally de-stress everyday!

11 Tips to Lose That Extra Pounds

2009-07-09T14:19:00.004+08:00

Obesity is one of the biggest problems faced by millions of people in America. Here are some diseases that you are putting yourself in risk of if you are carrying a lot of extra pounds:

1. heart disease
2. hypertension
3. stroke
4. cancer
5. arthritis
6. diabetes

Losing Weight helps to prevent and control these diseases.

Although there are good programs, it is better to rely on a healthy weight loss option which will provide lifetime results. The two key factors in weight loss are exercise and controlled diet.

Here are fast tips that can change an over-weight's life:

1. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Most fruits are low in calories and make you full sooner and stays in the tummy longer, slowing down the rate of digestion. Not to mention the other vitamins and fibers they also contain.

2. Read those nutrition fact labels: It is a good idea to know how many calories you are consuming. Some foods combo's can be deceptive, for example if you are having a plate of salad topped with lot of high calorie dressing and a soda, they you have just had more calories then you might get from a combination of grilled chicken sandwich (with no cheese and dressing) plus diet soda. So be smart with what you eat. Prefer home cooked food as much as possible.

3. Eating smaller, healthy frequent meals will also help you cut down the total intake of calories compared to 3 big meals a day. Eating more frequently, and in small servings, can prevent over-eating. This will also increase your metabolism and make calories burn faster.

4. Give yourself a break: Being too restrictive can anyway demotivate you, so to give yourself regular breaks. But do not over-eat at the same time, be conservative and try to make up for it in other meals.

5. Drinks: Soda, juice, cream are all loaded with sugars which we usually do not account into out diet plan. They should be once-in-a-while indulgences only. Drink water instead. Drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day keeps the body refreshed. Your body needs sufficient water to burn fat and keep your cells hydrated and healthy.

6. Exercise: Leave your car if you are only going a few blocks from home, take the stairs instead of the elevator, jog, cycle or skate. Use these activites and other home chores if you are too lazy to go to the gym and take exercise classes. Make sure that you do this regularly and you will not even notice that you are already shedding pounds with these mundane activities. Be practical on what your body can take and avoid overexertion.

7. Get motivation: Talk to people who have had success in weight loss and they will give you a lot of inspiration.

8. Get enough sleep, reduce stress and live happy.

9. Reward yourself when you reach your monthly weight loss milestones.

10. Never give up, even if you have failed a few times previously.

11. Eating slowly can lead to weight loss: Did you ever notice that thin people take an awfully long time to eat their food? Eating slowly is one method that can help take off pounds. That's because from the time you begin eating it takes the brain 20 minutes to start signaling feelings of fullness. Fast eaters often eat beyond their true level of fullness before the 20 minute signal has had a chance to set in. The amount of calories consumed before you begin to feel full can vary significantly depending on how quickly you eat. So slow down, take smaller bites and enjoy and savor every tasty morsel.

All in all, discipline and consistency is still the best practice and the key to a rapid weight loss success. Light dieting, workout, and right amount of supplementation applied in a regular way everyday will result in faster weight loss than having a massive action only to be followed a return to old habits as this would only lead to gaining more weight than when the weight loss plan has started.

It is also advisable to seek a doctor to recommend the best weight loss regimen before starting any weight loss effort and they will also tell you if you have any medical condition that may prevent you to follow these tips.

More resources: Strip That Fats!

Tips on How to Answer Common Interview Questions

2009-07-02T13:18:00.002+08:00

If you are job hunting and want to land a great opportunity it is extremely important to ace the job interview. While a job resume is important to get you into the door, in order to get the job of your dreams, you must first ace the job interview.

Many people don’t come prepared for the job interview. They don’t know what they will be asked and they don’t have any questions to show the interviewer that they know about the company or that they are interested in the job that they will be asked to perform.

Every job interview question has its own purpose. The interviewer cannot just ask you about anything and everything. Every job interview question asked is used to differentiate your skills, and personality from other candidates. There is actually no correct answer to any job interview questions. It just depends on how you answer them. Companies have their own standing with regards to the answers you have given them. They want to determine if you can offer something to their goals.

Will show you some tips on how to common interview questions.

1. Can you tell me something about yourself?
This is the probably the most terrifying interview questions of all time and the most difficult to answer as well. As an applicant for a certain job, you’d be wondering what the employer wants to know. What’s the point of asking this kind of question? I suggest that you should relax and think of this situation as a great opportunity to impress your employer. Well, the technique here is you should answer them with something that supports your career goals. Avoid telling those things about your name, your birth date, where you live, hobbies and other extra curricular activities. It would be better if you tell them something relevant about your qualifications and employment history.

2. What are your strengths?
Be sure that you tackle those points that would help you do the job you’re applying for. Tell something about your technical skills and your qualifications and be sure to support them with specific examples.

3. What are your weaknesses?
With regards to your weaknesses, you should answer them with things that you are improving upon and make sure that it is work related. Do not just tell your weak points; you should back up your statement with things that you are doing to improve your weak points.

4. How do you handle stress/pressure?
Some companies have a type of interviews where in a group of interviewers ask you a set of questions. Some interviewers purposely stir up emotional responses by asking questions in a challenging manner. Their purpose is to find out how you handle the stress.
If you were asked about this question, just relax and keep your self calm because they are already observing you. Just describe how you handle pressure by being honest and direct, but avoid being anxious.

5. What do you know about our company?
Before you can answer this question, you must have a research about the company you are applying to. Knowing their mission and vision can help you make the interview more interactive. It would be better if you tell them that you want to know more about the company. This shows that you are interested to the company and you really wanted to be part of the team.

6. Why do you want to work in our company?
If you were asked about this question, the first thing that would come into your mind would be “Because you have a job opening”. Well, those are clear answers but it won’t give you additional points on your interview. Those kinds of answers might sound sarcastic and may possibly annoy the interviewer.
The point of asking this question is to determine whether you have an idea about where you want to work or you’re just applying to any company that has a job opening.
Having a brief research on a company before your interview can help you to stand out as a competent applicant. It would be helpful if you can think of some reasons about what you can contribute to the company.

7. Why do you want to leave your current job?
Not all interviewee can deliver a straight forward answer to this question. Of course you have your own reasons why you want to leave your current job. You should be careful in answering this question. By all means you should keep your answers in a positive manner. As much as possible, do not give them a hint on how much you hate your current officemate or your boss. At this point, the interviewer is testing your attitude. The firm wants to hire someone who has the potential to become part of their team and not a negative one who can pull them down.

8. What can you contribute to our company?
Tell them your qualities that are related to the position you are applying for. Give them some ways in which you can help the company grow and be productive by sharing your thoughts and ideas. Show them your dedication and your willingness to be a part of the company.

9. Why should the company hire you?
Basically, this question is about selling yourself. Just like the first question, telling something about your self. Develop a sales statement and be more detailed as much as you can. Tell them something about what makes you unique and what you can contribute to the company. Think of your qualities you have to offer that match on what the employer is looking for.

10. Where do you see yourself five or ten years from now?
In answering this question, you should focus on your career-advancement goals that are related with the job you are applying for.

Interview questions are very tricky and you should be more careful in answering them. Your future career relies on how you deliver your answers. Respond appropriately, just relax and be yourself.

More resources: Ultimate Guide To Job Interview Answers

8 Tips For Maximum Muscle Gains

2009-06-22T20:34:00.003+08:00

There is so much conflicting information out there when it comes to the topic of building muscle, and sometimes it can be very difficult to know where to start. If you’re an average beginner looking for some basic guidelines to follow in the gym, the following 8 points will start you off on the right track.

1) Train With Weights and Focus On Compound, Free Weight Movements.

If you want to make solid, noteworthy gains in muscle size and strength, you absolutely must train with free weights and focus on basic, compound exercises. A compound exercise is any lift that stimulates more than one muscle group at a time. Examples of these lifts are the squat, deadlift, bench press, chin up, barbell row, overhead press, dip and lunge. Compound movements allow you to handle the most weight and will stimulate the greatest amount of total muscle fibers.

2) Be Prepared To Train Hard.

One of the biggest factors that separates those who make modest gains from those who make serious gains is their level of training intensity. In order to stimulate your muscle fibers to their utmost potential, you must be willing to take every set you perform in the gym to the point of muscular failure.

Muscular Failure: The point at which no further repetitions can be completed using proper form.

Sub-maximal training intensity will leave you with sub-maximal results, plain and simple.

3) Track Your Progress In The Gym From Week To Week.

Our bodies build muscle because of an adaptive response to the environment. When you go to the gym, you break down your muscle fibers by training with weights. Your body senses this as a potential threat to its survival and will react accordingly by rebuilding the damaged fibers larger and stronger in order to protect against any possible future threat. Therefore, in order to make continual gains in muscle size and strength, you must always focus on progressing in the gym from week to week. This could mean performing 1 or 2 more reps for each exercise or adding more weight to the bar. Keep a detailed training log to track your progress as your strength increases over time.

4) Avoid Overtraining.

Overtraining is your number one enemy when it comes to building muscle size and strength. When most people begin a workout program, they are stuck with the misguided notion that more is better. They naturally assume that the more time they spend in the gym, the better results they will achieve. When it comes to building muscle, nothing could be farther from the truth! If you spend too much time in the gym, you will actually take yourself farther away from your goals rather than closer to them. Remember, your muscles do not grow in the gym; they grow out of the gym, while you are resting and eating. Recovery is absolutely vital to the muscle growth process. If you don't provide your body with the proper recovery time in between workouts, your muscles will never have a chance to grow.

5) Eat More Frequently.

The main area where most people fail miserably on their muscle-building mission is on the all-too important task of proper nutrition. Training with weights is only half of the equation! You break down your muscle fibers in the gym, but if you don't provide your body with the proper nutrients at the proper times, the muscle growth process will be next to impossible. You should be eating anywhere from 5-7 meals per day, spaced every 2-3 hours in order to keep your body in an anabolic, muscle-building state at all times. Each meal should consist of high quality protein and complex carbohydrates.

6) Increase Your Protein Intake.

Of the 3 major nutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) protein is without a doubt the most important for those who are looking to gain muscle size and strength. Protein is found in literally every single one of the 30 trillion cells that your body is made up of and its main role is to build and repair body tissues. Without sufficient protein intake, it will be physically impossible for your body to synthesize a significant amount of lean muscle mass. If your body were a house, think of protein as the bricks. A general guideline is to consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day from high quality sources such as fish, poultry, eggs, beef, milk, peanut butter and cottage cheese.

7) Increase Your Water Intake.

If you want a simple, easy and highly effective way to maximize your muscle gains, drinking more water is it. Water plays so many vital roles in the body and its importance cannot be overstated. In fact, your muscles alone are made up of 70% water! Not only will drinking more water cause your muscles to appear fuller and more vascular, but it will also increase your strength as well. Research has shown that merely a 3-4% drop in your body's water levels can impact muscle contractions by 10-20%! Aim to consume 0.6 ounces for every pound of bodyweight each day for optimal gains.

8) Be Consistent!

Consistency is everything. Those who make the greatest gains in muscular size and strength are the ones who are able to implement the proper techniques on a highly consistent basis. Simply knowing is not enough, you must apply!

Building muscle is a result of the cumulative effect of small steps. Sure, performing 1 extra rep on your bench press will not make a huge difference to your overall results, and neither will consuming a single meal. However, over the long haul, all of those extra reps you perform and all of those small meals you consume will decide your overall success. If you work hard and complete all of your muscle-building tasks in a consistent fashion, all of those individual steps will equate to massive gains in overall size and strength.

10 Ways Get a Good Night’s Sleep

2009-06-11T15:36:00.000+08:00

How did you sleep last night?

I had a great night’s sleep, but when I woke up I thought what a powerful effect a great night's sleep has on your metabolism, and I wanted to share with you some ideas about how to get a better night's sleep.

Now my idea of a great night's sleep is one in which you sleep soundly and wake fully refreshed and full of energy. During a great night's sleep you rarely, if ever, think about your troubles, your never think about the news, and you usually fall asleep within 10 minutes of your head hitting the pillow (with positive thoughts in your mind).

Also, a key factor in determining if you had a great night's sleep is if you dream 'positive' or 'fun' dreams. Because if your night full of 'bad' or 'stressful' dreams then you're most certainly tossing and turning throughout the night and NOT getting a "restful" sleep.

Why is it so important to get quality sleep each and every night? Your body and your mind break down and get worn out from stress during the day.

The only time that your body and your mind repair themselves and rejuvenate is when you're sleeping. But it's important to note here that "restful" sleep is the key. Tossing and turning all night or waking up every few hours is not considered restful sleep. I recently read an article that made it to my research center that stated the facts about how snoring effects your sleep and your health. People who snore tend to disrupt their sleep, on average, 300 times each night - now that's not a restful night's sleep! Now think about it this way for a moment - if you've been under stress lately, or if you're mattress sucks, or if you just plain haven't been able to sleep well for the past few weeks (or months), then you haven't given your brain or your body the time it needs to repair itself.

So you actually start each and every day a little bit less focused and less metabolically healthy than the previous day.

Don't try to catch up on your sleep. People tell me all the time that they know that they don't get enough sleep during the week - but they "catch up" on the weekends. Let me put an end to that myth right now. That does not work!!! Your body and your mind need a regular sleeping pattern to repair and rejuvenate - without it you're actually deteriorating yourself rather than re-energizing yourself.

So what's considered enough sleep?

Generally speaking, everyone should strive to get 8 hours of restful sleep. Now if you eat a very healthy diet and exercise properly, and give yourself a few mental breaks during the day, and if you sleep like a baby and awaken fully refreshed every day, then you might be the type of person who can get away with less sleep - maybe 6 hours each night.

On the other hand, if you experience extraordinary amounts of stress each day (mental or physical), then you'll need more than 8 hours. A marathon runner for example, tends to put his/her body through a lot of stress each day - that person needs more than just 8 hours because their body needs more repair time than normal. The same holds true for the person going through massive mental stress as well.

So what can you do to help facilitate a better night’s sleep for yourself and those around you?

10 Steps To Help You Get A Great Night's Sleep:

1. Make a list of what you need to do the next day, write it all down and keep that paper and pen near your bedside in case you think of anything else you need to do. When you write things down you’re giving your brain the signal that it no longer needs to think about those tasks.

2. Don't watch television or listen to the radio (especially the news) before retiring for the night - and certainly do not fall asleep with the TV or radio on.

3. Read some inspirational or self-growth material for at least 30 minutes prior to bed. Your goal is to fill your mind with inspirational thoughts before falling asleep so that the last thoughts you have before drifting off are uplifting thoughts - as opposed to the stressful thoughts that most people fall asleep thinking about.

4. Make sure the room that you're sleeping in is as dark a room as possible - the body is made to sleep when it's dark out - the darker the room the more potential for a deep sleep.

5. Make the room as silent as possible - turn off all electric devices and ask others in the house to be as quiet as they can be.

6. Don't eat for at least 3 hours before going to bed. When there's undigested food in the stomach, your body is forced to focus on digesting that food rather than being focused on repairing your body and mind - which is what sleep is all about! The body was designed to digest food best while moving - not while laying down.

7. Try to go to bed at approximately 10:00 pm and awake at approximately 6:00 am. In Ayurvedic medicine it's believed that there are cycles that are the most conducive for certain activities. Going to bed at 10:00 pm and arising at 6:00 am appears to allow the body to rest the deepest, rejuvenate the most, and give the person the most energy throughout the day.

8. Don't take drugs or vitamins/herbs that are supposed to help you sleep (unless required by your physician). Most of these artificial sleeping aids do nothing more than deaden your senses - the goal of 'sleep' is to give your body the time and means to repair itself and prepare for the coming day. When you drug yourself to sleep, every system in your body is slowed down, including all those systems that are responsible for repairing you.

9. Make sure that there's a fresh air supply in the room. The air indoors is said to be some of the most toxic air around. When you sleep, you're only able to breath in the air that surrounds you in your enclosed bedroom. Try opening a window (if it's cold outside then just open the window a crack). The fresh air that comes in while you sleep will help your body repair itself because you'll have access to cleaner, more oxygenated air.

10. During the day, do 60 minutes of mild exercise. If you don't have time to do 60 minutes in a row, then break it up into 2 - 30 minute sessions, or 3 - 20 minute session, or 6 - 10 minute sessions --- just get a full 60 minutes in. The best exercise when talking about general health and preparing your body for a great night's sleep is walking.

What Your Doctor Don’t Want You To Know: Natural Ways To Lower Blood Pressure!

2009-06-08T19:52:00.002+08:00

High blood pressure is called the silent killer because many people with the problem never know they have it. This condition took the lives of over 40,000 Americans in 2002 alone and about one in three adults suffer from high blood pressure.

Curing high blood pressure is essential to anyone who suffers from hypertension, and will make a tremendous difference in your overall health and well-being.

What you need to realize is that you do not need expensive and dangerous medications in order to cure this, all you need is an action plan that can help you do it the natural way, which when it comes to hypertension is the best way to go.

Here are some of the lifestyle changes that are essential in preventing high blood pressure:

- The first thing that you need to make sure you do is take care of the basics. This means that you need to eat healthy, exercise, and take a daily multivitamin. These are things that you can start doing right away that will help reduce your hypertension, because exercise and proper diet are heavily correlated with reducing high blood pressure.

- Secondly make sure that you are getting adequate of magnesium and potassium in your diet. These two nutrients are believed to be linked to blood pressure reduction, and by consuming more of these nutrients you will be on your way to lower blood pressure. Fresh, unprocessed whole foods have the most potassium. These foods include meat, fish, nonfat and low-fat dairy products, and many fruits and vegetables.

- Take up a hobby that helps you reduce stress. One of the leading causes of hypertension is reducing stress. You need to practice some deep breathing techniques, and find something that you love to do in order to help reduce your hypertension, and is a great way to natural cure high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a health ailment that many have taken for granted. With the proper lifestyle and food regimen, high blood pressure may not be a problem.

More resources: The High Blood Pressure Remedy Report

9 Steps To Gain Weight

2009-06-01T16:07:00.001+08:00

There are a couple of reasons why most people fail in their attempt to gain more muscle mass:

A. Improper diet.

Most people are not eating enough protein and eating too many simple carbs.

They are not stressing their muscles during each workout. You don't have to kill yourself, but you must subject your body to out of the ordinary stress each workout to grow muscle.

B. They lack consistency.

They do not stay focused throughout the entire 12-week period. If they don't see results immediately, they get discouraged and quit. You have got to stick with your plan. No program will work for you if you are not consistent.

To get results, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes, and work as hard as necessary and you have to be consistent. Your body responds to consistency. Sometimes it may get to the point of obsession, but it has to be that way for you to reach your goal.

Here's some basic information and things you should be doing to help you bulk up:

1. To gain weight you must eat more calories than your body burns off, so EAT MORE!!!!!! The most important thing that I cannot over stress is that you need to eat to gain weight. You need to eat like you've never eaten before. (but not junk food like donuts and chips or candy).

Start eating six meals per day (space them out to about once every 3 hours).

2. Increase your protein intake and reduce your simple carbohydrate intake. Without protein your body cannot build new muscle

3. Keep your workouts under one hour. Short and intense!

4. Concentrate on free weight exercises that work the large muscle groups. The best weight training exercises for building mass are the simple ones. For mass, stick with compound free weight exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, barbell rows, pull ups and bar dips.

5. Use heavy weights and low reps, rest 3 minutes between each set.

6. Do only 2-3 exercises per body part.

7. Split your workout. Since you have a very high metabolism like me, you need to train with more intensity, but less frequently.

Day 1: Chest, shoulders and triceps
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Back, and Bicep
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Legs and abs
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest

8. Increase you water intake. A good formula for this is to multiply your bodyweight by .66 to get the required number of ounces per day.

9. Use nutritional supplements. If you can't afford too many products, just stick with the basics; like whey protein. If you can't afford whey protein the next best thing is egg whites.

3 Tips To Drink More Water

2009-04-10T18:38:00.001+08:00

After a little research it is apparent that nobody really knows where the saying that you need to drink 8 cups of water per day comes from. Some people trace it back to a study in the 1980's, and other people claim that doctors starting telling people that amount because it was a good goal, but didn't have any scientific research to back it up with.

Either way, the point is clear, water does wonders for your body, and your brain. Water is well known to cleanse your body of harmful chemicals through your intestines and also throughout your urine tract. Without proper water intake, our bodies break down very quickly, in a matter of days. Without food, however, some people can live for a week or two. That just shows how important water is to our bodies.

Here are 3 quick tips for taking in more water.

1. Always have water available.

I like to buy the 12 ounce bottles of water and keep them in the fridge. Whenever I go to the gym I grab a bottle. On my way out the door to work, I grab a bottle. Before a trip that will be 30 minutes or longer, I grab a bottle. When I watch a movie, I grab a bottle.

Whenever I am sitting watching TV or a movie, I will keep the bottle in my hand with the lid off. I take a lot of little sips until the bottle is gone. A great way of making sure you drink more water is to make sure it is easily accessible.

2. Keep it cold.

I don't know many people who like to drink room temperature water, I sure don't. If you keep your water cold, you will drink more. I make sure there is always ice in my freezer, this make it very easy to have a cold glass of water anytime.

3. Chose water in restaurants.

Whenever I go out to eat, I always drink water with some lemon. The lemon adds a little spunk to the taste and the water is always nice, cold and refreshing. After a short time you will stop craving your old drink of choice and will begin to appreciate the taste, or lack of taste, that water provides.

Give water a shot and your body will be thankful!

What is Strategy?

2009-03-28T18:20:00.004+08:00

The word "strategy" has been around for a long time. The great Chinese military theorist, Sun Tzu, described his principles of war as early as 500 BCE.

Etymologically the word "strategy" derives from the Greek stratos, meaning army, and more narrowly from strategos, meaning a general. Thus it derives from "generalship" or, more precisely, a general's battle plan. It is normally coupled with the word "tactics," which comes from the Greek for "arranging things." The general formulated his plan and lesser officers then "arranged things" so that the plan would work out in detail.

Stated simply, strategy is a road map or guide by which an organization moves from a current state of affairs to a future desired state. It is not only a template by which daily decisions are made, but also a tool with which long-range future plans and courses of action are constructed.

It is common knowledge to say that businesses must have a strategy in order to succeed. It is closer to the truth to say that all businesses by definition have a strategy. How a company is organized and run is in effect a form of expression of its strategy. The difference between two companies is that in one the strategy may be well known by all and operating as a set of conscious guiding principles; in the other it may be unconscious or simply perceived as "the way we do things around here." Consciously formulated strategies are superior to "traditional" approaches only if the planning is insightful, well done, and adapted to the circumstances.

In short, strategy defines where you are, where you are going, and how you are going to get there.

Art of Strategy

2009-02-24T20:08:00.004+08:00

36 Strategies of Ancient China

Excerpts from: China Strategies and Wikipedia

Summary

The Thirty-Six Strategies is a unique compilation of ancient Chinese proverbs that describe some of the most unorthodox or deceptive strategies ever devised. These proverbs describe not only battlefield strategies, but tactics used in psychological warfare to undermine both the enemy's will to fight - and his sanity. Though other Chinese military works of strategy have at least paid lip service to the Confucian notion of honor, the Thirty-Six Strategies make no pretence of being anything but ruthless.

The strategies are briefly stated as proverbs but are illustrated through historical episodes.

Advantageous Strategies

1) Fool the Emperor to Cross the Sea

Moving about in the darkness and shadows, occupying isolated places, or hiding behind screens will only attract suspicious attention. To lower an enemy's guard you must act in the open hiding your true intentions under the guise of common every day activities.

Usage

This stratagem made use of the human weakness that people eventually become unaware of common everyday activities, or events that keep repeating themselves. When this happens, it is the best moment to carry out one's previously hidden true objective.

2) Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao

When the enemy is too strong to attack directly, then attack something he holds dear. Know that in all things he cannot be superior. Somewhere there is a gap in the armour, a weakness that can be attacked instead.

Usage

The idea here is to avoid a head on battle with a strong enemy, and instead strike at his weakness elsewhere. This will force the strong enemy to retreat in order to support his weakness. Battling against the now tired and low-morale enemy will give a much higher chance of success.

3) Kill with a Borrowed Sword

When you do not have the means to attack your enemy directly, then attack using the strength of another. Trick an ally into attacking him, bribe an official to turn traitor, or use the enemy's own strength against him.

Usage

The idea here is to cause damage to the enemy by getting a 3rd party to do the deed.

4) Await the Exhausted Enemy at Your Ease

It is an advantage to choose the time and place for battle. In this way you know when and where the battle will take place, while your enemy does not. Encourage your enemy to expend his energy in futile quests while you conserve your strength. When he is exhausted and confused, you attack with energy and purpose.

Usage

The idea is to have your troops well-prepared for battle, in the same time that the enemy is rushing to fight against you. This will give your troops a huge advantage in the upcoming battle, of which you will get to select the time and place.

5) Loot a Burning House

When a country is beset by internal conflicts, when disease and famine ravage the population, when corruption and crime are rampant, then it will be unable to deal with an outside threat. This is the time to attack.

Usage

Keep gathering internal information about an enemy. If the enemy is currently in its weakest state ever, attack it without mercy and totally destroy it to prevent future troubles.

6) Clamor in the East, Attack in the West

In any battle the element of surprise can provide an overwhelming advantage. Even when face to face with an enemy, surprise can still be employed by attacking where he least expects it. To do this you must create an expectation in the enemy's mind through the use of a feint.

Usage

The idea here is to get the enemy to focus his forces in a location, and then attack elsewhere which would be weakly defended.

Opportunistic Strategies

7) Create Something From Nothing

You use the same feint twice. Having reacted to the first and often the second feint as well, the enemy will be hesitant to react to a third feint. Therefore the third feint is the actual attack catching your enemy with his guard down.

Usage

One method of using this strategy is to create an illusion of something's existence, while it does not exist. Another method is to create an illusion that something does not exist, while it does.

8) Openly Repair The Walkway, Secretly March to Chencang

Attack the enemy with two convergent forces. The first is the direct attack, one that is obvious and for which the enemy prepares his defense. The second is the indirect, the attack sinister, that the enemy does not expect and which causes him to divide his forces at the last minute leading to confusion and disaster.

Usage

This tactic is an extension of the "Make a sound in the east, then strike in the west" tactic. But instead of simply spreading misinformation to draw the enemy's attention, physical baits are used to increase the enemy's certainty on the misinformation. These baits must be easily seen by the enemy, to ensure that they draw the enemy's attention. At the same time, the baits must act as if what they meant to do what they were falsely doing, to avoid drawing the enemy's suspicion.

9) Observe the Fire on the Opposite Shore

Delay entering the field of battle until all the other players have become exhausted fighting amongst themselves. Then go in full strength and pick up the pieces.

10) Hide Your Dagger Behind a Smile

Charm and ingratiate yourself to your enemy. When you have gained his trust, you move against him in secret.

11) Sacrifice the Plum Tree In Place of the Peach

There are circumstances in which you must sacrifice short-term objectives in order to gain the long-term goal. This is the scapegoat strategy whereby someone else suffers the consequences so that the rest do not.

12) Seize the Opportunity To Lead a Sheep Away

While carrying out your plans be flexible enough to take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself, however small, and avail yourself of any profit, however slight.

Offensive Strategies

13) Beat The Grass To Startle The Snake

When you cannot detect the opponent's plans launch a direct, but brief, attack and observe your opponent reactions. His behavior will reveal his strategy.

14) Borrow a Corpse to Raise the Spirit

Take an institution, a technology, or a method that has been forgotten or discarded and appropriate it for your own purpose. Revive something from the past by giving it a new purpose or to reinterpret and bring to life old ideas, customs, and traditions.

15) Lure the Tiger Down the Mountain

Never directly attack a well-entrenched opponent. Instead lure him away from his stronghold and separate him from his source of strength.

16) To Catch Something, First Let It Go

Cornered prey will often mount a final desperate attack. To prevent this you let the enemy believe he still has a chance for freedom. His will to fight is thus dampened by his desire to escape. When in the end the freedom is proven a falsehood the enemy's morale will be defeated and he will surrender without a fight.

17) Toss Out A Brick To Attract Jade

Prepare a trap then lure your enemy into the trap by using bait. In war the bait is the illusion of an opportunity for gain. In life the bait is the illusion of wealth, power, and sex.

18) To Catch the Bandits First Capture Their Leader

If the enemy's army is strong but is allied to the commander only by money or threats then, take aim at the leader. If the commander falls the rest of the army will disperse or come over to your side. If, however, they are allied to the leader through loyalty then beware, the army can continue to fight on after his death out of vengeance.

Confusion Strategies

19) Steal The Firewood From Under the Pot

When faced with an enemy too powerful to engage directly you must first weaken him by undermining his foundation and attacking his source of power.

20) Trouble The Water To Catch The Fish

Before engaging your enemy's forces create confusion to weaken his perception and judgment. Do something unusual, strange, and unexpected as this will arouse the enemy's suspicion and disrupt his thinking. A distracted enemy is thus more vulnerable.

21) Shed Your Skin Like the Golden Cicada

When you are in danger of being defeated, and your only chance is to escape and regroup, then create an illusion. While the enemy's attention is focused on this artifice, secretly remove your men leaving behind only the facade of your presence.

22) Shut the Door to Catch the Thief

If you have the chance to completely capture the enemy then you should do so thereby bringing the battle or war to a quick and lasting conclusion. To allow your enemy to escape plants the seeds for future conflict. But if they succeed in escaping, be wary of giving chase.

23) Befriend a Distant Enemy to Attack One Nearby

It is known that nations that border each other become enemies while nations separated by distance and obstacles make better allies. When you are the strongest in one field, your greatest threat is from the second strongest in your field, not the strongest from another field.

24) Borrow the Road to Conquer Guo

Borrow the resources of an ally to attack a common enemy. Once the enemy is defeated, use those resources to turn on the ally that lent you them in the first place.

Deception Strategies

25) Replace The Beams With Rotten Timbers

Disrupt the enemy's formations, interfere with their methods of operations, change the rules in which they are used to following, go contrary to their standard training. In this way you remove the supporting pillar, the common link that makes a group of men an effective fighting force.

26) Point At The Mulberry But Curse The Locust Tree

To discipline, control, or warn others whose status or position excludes them from direct confrontation; use analogy and innuendo. Without directly naming names, those accused cannot retaliate without revealing their complicity.

27) Feign Madness But Keep Your Balance

Hide behind the mask of a fool, a drunk, or a madman to create confusion about your intentions and motivations. Lure your opponent into underestimating your ability until, overconfident, he drops his guard. Then you may attack.

28) Lure Your Enemy Onto the Roof, Then Take Away the Ladder

With baits and deceptions lure your enemy into treacherous terrain. Then cut off his lines of communication and avenue of escape. To save himself he must fight both your own forces and the elements of nature.

29) Tie Silk Blossoms to the Dead Tree

Tying silk blossoms on a dead tree gives the illusion that the tree is healthy. Through the use of artifice and disguise make something of no value appear valuable; of no threat appear dangerous; of no use, useful.

30) Exchange the Role of Guest for that of Host

Defeat the enemy from within by infiltrating the enemy's camp under the guise of cooperation, surrender, or peace treaties. In this way you can discover his weakness and then, when the enemy's guard is relaxed, strike directly at the source of his strength.

Desperate Strategies

31) The Strategy of Beautiful Women

Send your enemy beautiful women to cause discord within his camp. This strategy can work on three levels. First, the ruler becomes so enamored with the beauty that he neglects his duties and allows his vigilance to wane. Second, other males at court will begin to display aggressive behavior that inflames minor differences hindering co-operation and destroying morale. Third, other females at court, motivated by jealousy and envy, begin to plot intrigues further exasperating the situation.

32) The Strategy of Open City Gates

When the enemy is superior in numbers and your situation is such that you expect to be overrun at any moment, then drop all pretence of military preparedness and act casually. Unless the enemy has an accurate description of your situation this unusual behavior will arouse suspicions. With luck he will be dissuaded from attacking.

33) The Strategy of Sowing Discord

Undermine your enemy's ability to fight by secretly causing discord between him and his friends, allies, advisors, family, commanders, soldiers, and population. While he is preoccupied settling internal disputes his ability to attack or defend, is compromised.

34) The Strategy of Injuring Yourself

Pretending to be injured has two possible applications. In the first, the enemy is lulled into relaxing his guard since he no longer considers you to be an immediate threat. The second is a way of ingratiating yourself to your enemy by pretending the injury was caused by a mutual enemy.

35) The Tactic of Combining Tactics

In important matters one should use several strategies applied simultaneously. Keep different plans operating in an overall scheme; in this manner if any one strategy fails you would still have several others to fall back on.

36) If All Else Fails Retreat

If it becomes obvious that your current course of action will lead to defeat then retreat and regroup.