This means we're back to ends, ways, means, but not in the same way as before. Now we're using ends ways and means to determine Centers of Gravity. Neither black holes, nor the center of the earth are considered centers of gravity, though they may argue with that. Also, they're not the same thing as center of mass type of center of gravity; the kind you wish had been lower in your 1997 Ford Explorer.
No, it's not like this...
What a center of gravity is, according to the very dead Carl von Clausewitz, is the "source of all power" and the one thing you have to destroy to defeat your enemy. Kind of like the One Ring. So, when you're trying to divine your enemy's center of gravity, just imagine whichever thing they might be cooing "My Preciousssss!" over. That will probably be it.
Maybe more like this...?
Did you know that in order to determine your own and your enemy's center of gravity, you can use ends, ways and means? You probably can't use bacon, but it may help you think better because you won't be hungry. That being said, you need to first, determine both your and your enemy's ends. Then you need to figure out the ways that you both could achieve those ends, and then determine the means available to conduct the ways. (Remember, ways = verbs, ends = nouns)
*FLASHBACK*
So, let's imagine that you wake up Saturday morning to discover your spouse made breakfast. Unfortunately you soon discover that your kids ate all the bacon, and this just will not do. What is the ultimate problem? You don't get any bacon. What is the ultimate solution to this problem? You getting some bacon. So, this will be your End - Get some bacon.
What are the possible Ways you can make this happen?
You can throw a fit like a two-year old, screaming "I want my bacon!"
You can bribe your spouse to go get you more bacon and cook it.
You can call your neighbor to see if they have bacon to give you.
You can go to the store and buy more bacon.
What resources (Means) do you have/need to execute your ways?
Transportation to get to the store
Money to buy bacon/bribe spouse
A phone to contact a friend or neighbor
A stove and pan to cook your bacon
*END FLASHBACK*
We've determined our end. Now, let's analyze our ways. Throwing a fit probably won't get us anything. Out. Bribing our spouse to go get and cook us more bacon probably won't work either, because they've got to get the kids to swimming lessons. Out. We could call our neighbor, but we run the risk of them not having bacon, or not being willing to give it to us. Out. That leaves going to the store and buying us bacon. (both verbs, see)
From our means, we have to determine which are necessary for us to enact our way and achieve our end. A phone is useless. A stove to cook bacon is needed, so as to avoid salmonella and other food borne diseases. Transportation is also needed to get us to the store. Money is important as well. But do any of these things actually provide us with bacon? NO! We need a store that sells bacon.
All of these things equal critical factors: Critical Capabilities (things you have to be able to do/provide), Critical Requirements (things you have to have to do those things) and Critical Vulnerabilities (things you need, but can easily be taken away). So, our critical requirement is procuring bacon. Our critical capabilities are transportation, money to purchase, and a stuff to cook with. Our critical vulnerabilities are sufficient money, gas in our car, and store hours.
Of our means available, we need to validate which is our true center of gravity, by doing what Joe Strange and Dale Eikmeier tell us and determine "does/uses" criteria. The true center of gravity "does" what our end state is. All our other requirements are "used" by the "doer" to achieve our end state. Since our end state is getting bacon, we have already determined that our center of gravity is the store. All the other things are "used" to achieve our end state, but cannot actually achieve it.
End State Achieved!
There you are! Now you, too, can determine centers of gravity.
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