Finally, sustained discipline requires feedback. Sun Tzu’s counsel to “know the enemy and know yourself” (ch. 3) points to continuous appraisal: compare plan to reality, then adjust. The after-action review, formalized in the U.S. Army in the 1980s, institutionalizes this loop by asking what was intended, what occurred, and what to change next time. Carried into daily life, a five-minute review closes the imagination–action circuit, preventing drift and cultivating humility. In this rhythm—envision, execute, examine—the next dawn inherits sharper insight, ensuring that creativity remains bold while discipline stays wise. [...]
