Therefore the skilful leader subdues the enemy’s troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Winners, Winning
Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
—Sun Tzu
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 Tzu
So it is said that if you know others, and know yourself,
you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles;
if you do not know others but know yourself,
you win one and lose one;
if you do not know others and do not know yourself,
you will be imperiled in every single battle.
—Sun Tzu
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.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Unhappiness
Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Battle, Excellence
To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Excellence
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