Boyd's Decision (OODA) Cycle

The first priority of any organism is to survive and prosper; self-reliance is better than alliance. However, to survive and prosper and to maintain independence and freedom of action, sometimes it is necessary to form symbiotic relationships.

To survive and prosper, one must be observant and aware of the environment and be able to interact appropriately with the environment and those within it. One must shape the environment to one’s needs, adapting when necessary, shifting from isolation to interaction when appropriate, and continuously using the OODA cycle through a combination of rapidity, variety, harmony, and initiative.

Rapidity of action or reaction is required to maintain or regain initiative. Variety is required so one is not predictable, so no recognizable pattern develops that an enemy may recognize and use to defeat you. Harmony is fitting into the environment and others operating in it. Initiative is taking charge of your own destiny so you direct it instead of it directing you. 

Boyd defines war as a moral struggle that is won as much by mental as by physical prowess. Wars are fought to attain peace, so the war must be worthy of the horrendous means by which piece achieved; therefore, morality plays a central role in war. Moral values provide a set of higher goals and standards that enable us to confront mistrust, uncertainty, and menacing circumstances with confidence and courage. Moral advantage is critical to one’s strategy of combat. To win, one must minimize one’s friction in the mental-moral-physical sense and increase the opponent’s friction. One must believe in the cause fought for and seek to live for some higher good or goal than oneself