Sun Tzu Quotes: Looking for the best Sun Tzu Quotes from The Art of War. When we look for meaning in our own lives, whether through religion or other practices, we discover that our most profound insights come from within our own being and how we respond to events, rather than from teachings or things we have read.
Learn why “Art of War” has been so influential for centuries and how smart strategies make all the difference with the best Sun Tzu quotes on leadership. Sun Tzu, the author of The Art of War, emphasizes the importance of being subtle and mysterious in order to be the director of the opponent’s fate. Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
sun tzu art of war quotes and sun tzu leadership quotes. Moments of anxiety and sadness are likely, but being able to respond to them and overcome them makes us more steadfast.
Use these Sun Tzu quotes to help you remember the importance of being wise and persistent in your actions. They can also help you focus on accepting your own nature and the possibilities of life. Which one of these powerful quotes by Sun Tzu was your favorite?
Sun Tzu Quotes
Art of war quotes and know your enemy deception quotes. Learn why “Art of War” has been so influential for centuries and how smart strategies make all the difference with the best Sun Tzu quotes on leadership.
“First make yourself unbeatable, then go to war.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.” – Sun Tzu
“The line between disorder and order lies in logistics.” – Sun Tzu
“If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.” – Sun Tzu
“Sweat more during peace: bleed less during the war.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“If you are strong, appear weak. But if you are weak, appear strong.” – Sun Tzu
“Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.” – Sun Tzu
“If words of command are not clear and distinct if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders are clear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers.”― Sun Tzu
“Rewards for good service should not be deferred a single day.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“The PEOPLE being regarded as the essential part of the State, and FOOD as the people’s heaven, is it not right that those in authority should value and be careful of both?” – Sun Tzu
“When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders.” – Sun Tzu
“One mark of a great soldier is that he fights on his own terms or fights not at all.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
Sun Tzu’s Art Of War Quotes
“Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can?” – Sun Tzu
“If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.”― Sun Tzu
“All wars are won or lost before they are ever fought.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.” – Sun Tzu
“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.” – Sun Tzu
“Do not engage an enemy more powerful than you. And if it is unavoidable and you do have to engage, then make sure you engage it on your terms, not on your enemy’s terms.” – Sun Tzu
“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” – Sun Tzu
“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.”― Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu Quotes That Will Expand Your Mind
“What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins but excels in winning with ease.” – Sun Tzu
“Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.” – Sun Tzu
“Know yourself and you will win all battles.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move.” – Sun Tzu
“If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.” – Sun Tzu
“Those who win every battle are not really skillful—those who render others’ armies helpless without fighting are the best of all.”― Sun Tzu
“The art of giving orders is not to try to rectify the minor blunders and not to be swayed by petty doubts.” – Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu Quotes On The Art Of War, Love and Life
“To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.” – Sun Tzu
“If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” – Sun Tzu
“There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.” – Sun Tzu
“The skillful employer of men will employ the wise man, the brave man, the covetous man, and the stupid man.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“The victorious army is victorious first and seeks battle later; the defeated army seeks battle first and seeks victory later.”― Sun Tzu
“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.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.” – Sun Tzu
“The peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict unnecessary.” – Sun Tzu
“Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack.” – 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 The Art of War
Motivational Sun Tzu Quotes
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.” – Sun Tzu
“Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.” – Sun Tzu
“The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain.”― Sun Tzu
“Who wishes to fight must first count the cost” – Sun Tzu
“Great results can be achieved with small forces.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“The height of strategy is to attack your opponent’s strategy.” – Sun Tzu
“Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“I have heard that in war haste can be folly, but have never seen delay that was wise.” – Sun Tzu
“Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots.” – Sun Tzu
Best Sun Tzu Intelligence Quotes on War and Strategy
“Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“Correct your mistake as soon as you have found it.” – Sun Tzu
“Knowing the enemy enables you to take the offensive, knowing yourself enables you to stand on the defensive.”― Sun Tzu
“Do not press an enemy at bay.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“Leadership is a matter of intelligence, trustworthiness, humaneness, courage, and sternness.”― Sun Tzu
“”The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.” – Sun Tzu
“The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“It is more important to out-think your enemy than to outfight him” – Sun Tzu
“To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.” – Sun Tzu
“The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.” – Sun Tzu
The Art Of War Sun Tzu Quotes on War and Leadership
“Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.” – Sun Tzu
“Every animal with blood in its veins and horns on its head will fight when it is attacked.”― Sun Tzu
“It is easy to love your friend, but sometimes the hardest lesson to learn is to love your enemy.” – Sun Tzu
“Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” – Sun Tzu
“He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.” – Sun Tzu
“He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.” – Sun Tzu
“To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm.” – Sun Tzu
Quotes on the Philosophy of War and Warriors
“If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.”― Sun Tzu
“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“For them to perceive the advantage of defeating the enemy, they must also have their rewards.” – Sun Tzu
“He wins his battles by making no mistakes.”― Sun Tzu
“Keep your friends close, your enemies even closer.” – Sun Tzu The Art of War
“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” – Sun Tzu
“When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.” – Sun Tzu
At first glance, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, which was originally a military treatise written in the 5th century BC, may not appear to have any relevance to life in the 21st century. However, once you begin reading the words of Sun Tzu, you may come to the conclusion that they have very real applications to modern life. This is especially true if you are in a position of leadership or if you regularly deal with strategic questions and issues.
These musings can be useful for applying to practical problems that you may be attempting to solve, and they can also serve as good jumping-off points for more theoretical reflection. The following are some of the most famous quotes from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. They cover a wide range of subjects, from philosophy and wisdom to strategy and leadership.
A Collection of Quotes Regarding the The Art of War and Warriors It is helpful to examine how warfare and fighting can be seen as metaphors for our lives today before moving on to share Sun Tzu’s more practical knowledge regarding leadership and strategy. Sun Tzu was a Chinese military strategist. Many of Sun Tzu’s intelligent quotes can shed light on these kinds of connections for us.