Win at Everything

In his latest book, best-selling author and history buff Robert Greene pored over thousands of years of violent conflict to distill The 33 Strategies of War, used by everyone from samurais and swordsmen to U.S. presidents and Hollywood producers.

Here are five nuggets of winning wisdom from warriors past and how they translate to today's world. Do yourself a favor and pack one of these battle plans in your briefcase.

THE WISDOM: "Everything which the enemy least expects will succeed the best." --Frederick the Great, 1712–1786

HOW TO USE IT: Muhammad Ali's unorthodox fighting style (wild-eyed taunting and charging with his fists down) illustrates the idea that constantly changing your style of attack and surprising your adversary unbalances him and gives you the upper hand. Take Google: Once simply a search engine, the company launched mapping software (Google Earth), an instant-messaging program (Google Talk), and a hard-drive search (Google Desktop), all within a six-month period -- tipping Microsoft off its lofty perch.

THE WISDOM: "Induce people to have the same aim as the leadership, so that they will share death and share life without fear of danger." --Sun-tzu, 4th century B.C.

HOW TO USE IT: Alfred Hitchcock was a master of illusion. He maintained complete control over his projects by obsessively preplanning his productions, and then remaining cool and detached while on set -- essentially tricking the cast and crew into believing that they were the ones running the show. Bill Gates does the same thing with his 60,000 employees, who have adopted his vision and preach it like their own.

THE WISDOM: "If the enemy relies upon their awesomeness, be emptily respectful, but substantially plan while awaiting their laxness." --Ming Dynasty text, 17th century

HOW TO USE IT: This philosophy was not contained to China: Japanese jujitsu martial artists were notorious for their self-defense, wherein fighters calmly baited their opponents into aggressive, and oftentimes deadly, first moves. Case in point: Franklin D. Roosevelt won a landslide victory against Hoover in 1932 by keeping a low profile and not dishing out personal attacks in the manner of his opponent, and then swooping in during crunch time to spread his positive message.

THE WISDOM: "Not numbers or strength brings victory in war, but whichever army goes into battle stronger in soul." --Xenophon, 5th century B.C.

HOW TO USE IT: Vince Lombardi transformed the Green Bay Packers from losers to champions in less than two years by enforcing a grueling practice schedule and using mind control -- getting the team to think and act like winners. Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Company, did the same thing in 1999 when he used his contagious killer instinct to boost the failing car company from the bottom to the top of the auto industry. It now has the highest profit margins in the business.

THE WISDOM: "Never interfere with an enemy that is in the process of committing suicide." --Napoléon Bonaparte, 1769–1821

HOW TO USE IT: Ulysses S. Grant had a knack for spotting self-serving, incompetent leaders posing as team players and knowing which of their buttons to push for implosion. This helped the Ohioan rise from commander of a volunteer regiment in 1861 to general of the Union Army just three years later. John McCain has used a similar strategy over the past several years, keeping mum on his disagreements with the Bush administration while letting its missteps tar other potential 2008 Republican nominees.