genin

I'm not sure how relevant this is to martial effectiveness, but something that happened to me recently gave me an insight. Unfortunately, I have been embroiled in a financial situation which really had no positive outcome for any of the parties invovled. Needless to say, this created conflict between all parties invovled. I was even threatened with "war" if this issue didn't get handled properly.

While a "war" of any sort would've at best guaranteed mutually assured destruction, I had the choice of whether to be involved in this war or not. I could either pay the money and be done with it. Or not pay, and then let them bring the war to me. My opponent almost seemed eager to begin this war. Naturally, I sensed that war was what THEY wanted. Therefore I wanted to make sure that I was in full control, and that if a war was initiated, it was due to MY choice, not theirs. Since they desired war, I made the choice to not let them have it--simply because it was against what they wanted.

I chose to give them most of the money, but not all of it. It left them angry, but it dampened the flames of their passion to continue fighting me on it. I consider it a partial victory for myself. I didn't give in all the way, and more importantly, I didn't let them determine what wars I would be engaged in. I made that choice for myself. This is the art of fighting without fighting. It could be considered a form of "martial effectiveness", imo.