Who does not know the evils of war cannot appreciate its benefits.
Sun TzuRead
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Understanding both yourself and your opponent is crucial for success in any conflict.
This quote emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and knowledge of one's adversaries in achieving victory. Sun Tzu suggests that those who have a deep understanding of both themselves and their opponents are equipped to handle challenges with confidence, while ignorance of either side can lead to repeated failures.
Themes
Self-AwarenessKnowledgeVictoryStrategyBattles
In practice
Example use cases
In a leadership workshop, one might quote this to emphasize the importance of understanding team dynamics and competitors.
More from Sun Tzu
All quotes →Great results, can be achieved with small forces.
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To capture an enemies army is better than to destroy it.
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The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.
Sun TzuRead
You can ensure the success of your attacks if you only attack places that are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. Therefore, that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.
Sun TzuRead
As water shapes its flow in accordance with the ground, so an army manages its victory in accordance with the situation of the enemy.
Sun TzuRead
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