Who does not know the evils of war cannot appreciate its benefits.
Sun TzuRead
Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Strength comes from defense, while opportunities for success arise when taking action.
This quote by Sun Tzu emphasizes the dual aspects of strategy in conflict or competition. It suggests that maintaining a strong defense is fundamental to invincibility, providing security and resilience, while actively pursuing opportunities to attack or engage can lead to victory. This balance between defense and offense is crucial in various aspects of life, including personal battles, business strategies, and any situation requiring tactical planning.
Themes
StrategyDefenseAttackVictoryTactics
In practice
Example use cases
Discussing military strategy in a leadership seminar.
More from Sun Tzu
All quotes βGreat results, can be achieved with small forces.
Sun TzuRead
To capture an enemies army is better than to destroy it.
Sun TzuRead
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
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.
Sun TzuRead
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