Await the Exhausted Enemy at Your Ease

Strategy 4

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.

Modern Example

This recently happened to one of the Fairies at a company where she used to work. Even Fairies are not immune to politics... This Fairy's boss had already decided to get rid of her, fearing her competence and her ambition. One of his peers, in the meantime, made complaint about a series of work tasks that were allegedly undone in some manner. While this Fairy was busy fighting off their inaccurate perceptions, her boss was using the opportunity of her distraction to bring in a replacement. Because she was preoccupied elsewhere, she did not immediately realize that she was about to become redundant. She prepared a defense against allegations that were merely a smokescreen. The afternoon her boss and her replacement brought her into the conference room in order to inform her she was being let go was the first inkling she had that not all was well. It took her completely by surprise. She was so shocked by the news that she signed their release form, collected her things and her final check, and quietly left the premises.