The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the Late Spring and Autumn Period (roughly 5th century BC). The work, which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu (“Master Sun”), is composed of 13 chapters. Each one is devoted to a different set of skills (or “art”) related to warfare and how it applies to military strategy and tactics. For almost 1,500 years it was the lead text in an anthology that was formalized as the Seven Military Classics by Emperor Shenzong of Song in 1080. 

The Art of War remains the most influential strategy text in East Asian warfare and has influenced both Far Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy, lifestyles and beyond.

How can you apply the following 50 lessons from Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” to your personal or professional life? The book has become a popular source of strategic planning for business leaders. Think about how each statement applies to your life. How can you use these strategies to handle conflict with your business, colleagues, family, and people in your community with whom you disagree?

  1. The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.
  2. A leader leads by example, not by force.
  3. There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare.
  4. In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy’s country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good.
  5. Fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
  6. The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
  7. If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
  8. All armies prefer high ground to low and sunny places to dark.
  9. All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”
  10. Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.
  11. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
  12. There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colors, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted.
  13. Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.
  14. Numerical weakness comes from having to prepare against possible attacks; numerical strength, from compelling our adversary to make these preparations against us.
  15. Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
  16. Quickness is the essence of the war.
  17. Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy’s unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots.
  18. So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.
  19. Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
  20. Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the enemy’s purpose.
  21. If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are.
  22. Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate. 
  23. Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.
  24. If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak.
  25. If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things.
  26. If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.
  27. 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.
  28. In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack—the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers.
  29. In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.
  30. There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general: (1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction; (2) cowardice, which leads to capture; (3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults; (4) a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame;
    (5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.
  31. Throw your soldiers into positions whence there is no escape, and they will prefer death to flight. If they will face death, there is nothing they may not achieve.
  32. 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.
  33. To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
  34. Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
  35. Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing.
  36. When invading hostile territory, the general principle is, that penetrating deeply brings cohesion; penetrating but a short way means dispersion.
  37. When strong, avoid them. If of high morale, depress them. Seem humble to fill them with conceit. If at ease, exhaust them. If united, separate them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.
  38. When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move.
  39. Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted.
  40. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.
  41. Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical.
  42. The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one’s deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. These are: (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.”
  43. The following are the principles to be observed by an invading force: The further you penetrate into a country, the greater will be the solidarity of your troops, and thus the defenders will not prevail against you.
  44. The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand.
  45. The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.
  46. The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
  47. The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.
  48. In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.
  49. In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns.
  50. The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin.

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