Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
Nobody who bought a drill actually wanted a drill. They wanted a hole. Therefore, if you want to sell drills, you should advertise information about making holes – NOT information about drills!
Rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him
Swift as the wind. Quiet as the forest. Conquer like the fire. Steady as the mountain
The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands
Subjugating the enemy's army without fighting is the true pinnacle of excellence.
The worst enemy of the strategist is the clock. Time trouble... Reduces us all to pure reflex and reaction, tactical play. Emotion and instinct cloud our strategic vision when there is no time for proper evaluation.
He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
Sound strategy starts with having the right goal
In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.
Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness.
Real love is a pilgrimage. It happens when there is no strategy, but it is very rare because most people are strategists.
Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.
Strategists who don’t take time to think are just planners.
Unless strategy evaluation is performed seriously and systematically, and unless strategists are willing to act on the results, energy will be used up defending yesterday.
It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.
Be subtle! be subtle! and use your spies for every kind of business.
No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.
Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports.
Even the greatest of all strategists must occasionally take into account the presence of an enemy.
There are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune on his army: By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey. This is called hobbling the army. By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain in an army. This causes restlessness in the soldier's minds. By employing the officers of his army without discrimination, through ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to circumstances. This shakes the confidence of the soldiers.
They [spies] cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness.
The good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.
Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity.
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