Who does not know the evils of war cannot appreciate its benefits.
Sun TzuRead
Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise, for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Success requires a proactive attitude and the willingness to take initiative.
This quote by Sun Tzu emphasizes that mere attempts at achieving goals without a proactive and innovative mindset lead to futility and stagnation. It highlights the importance of cultivating a spirit of enterprise, suggesting that true success comes from being willing to explore new ideas and approaches rather than relying solely on traditional methods or strategies.
Themes
SuccessInitiativeEnterpriseInnovationStrategyStagnation
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a workshop on leadership and innovation.
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
Similar quotes
A lie does not consist in the indirect position of words, but in the desire and intention, by false speaking, to deceive and injure your neighbour.
Jonathan SwiftRead
The silence often of pure innocence persuades when speaking fails.
William ShakespeareRead
If your everyday practice is open to all your emotions, to all the people you meet, to all the situations you encounter, without closing down, trusting that you can do that - then that will take you are far as you can go. And then you'll understand all the teachings that anyone has ever taught.
Pema ChodronRead
Never let yourself think that because God has given you many things to do for Himpressing routine jobs, a life full up with duties and demands of a very practical sort---that all these need separate you from communion with Him. God is always coming to you in the Sacrament of the Present Moment. Meet and receive Him there with gratitude in that sacrament; however unexpected its outward form may be receive Him in every sight and sound, joy, pain, opportunity and sacrifice.
Evelyn UnderhillRead
He only employs his passion who can make no use of his reason.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
If you concentrate on the present, you eliminate what happened yesterday and any apprehension of what may happen tomorrow.
Denis WaitleyRead