Looking for famous quotes by Sun Tzu? We have rounded up the best collection of Sun Tzu quotes, sayings (with images and pictures) to inspire you with his wise words about love, life, war, and leadership.
Sun Tzu was one of the most influential Chinese military generals and Taoist philosophers, explains the importance to defeat mental negativity and anguish that creeps into existence and lowers your energies.
He is best known for as a author for highly influential work of military strategy, ‘The Art of War,’. He is credited to have a great impact on both Western and Eastern philosophy.
These powerful quotes collected from a variety of sources over the years, about the art of war will train you how to master your mind and defeat any battle that comes your way in life. We have made 3 sections for this post –
“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”
“Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.”
“Sweat more during peace: bleed less during war.”
“Correct your mistake as soon as you have found it.”
“Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength.”
“The line between disorder and order lies in logistics.”
“Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.”
“Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems.”
“Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can?”
“Rewards for good service should not be deferred a single day.”
“Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.”
“If you are strong, appear weak. But if you are weak, appear strong.”
“If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things.”
“Plan for what it is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small.”
“If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.”
“The peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict unnecessary.”
“The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.”
“Every animal with blood in its veins and horns on its head will fight when it is attacked.”
“If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.”
“Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow; decision, to the releasing of the trigger.”
“Leadership is a matter of intelligence, trustworthiness, humaneness, courage, and sternness.”
“What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins but excels in winning with ease.”
“When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move.”
“Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley.”
“Using order to deal with the disorderly, using calm to deal with the clamorous, is mastering the heart.”
“When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.”
“The art of giving orders is not to try to rectify the minor blunders and not to be swayed by petty doubts.”
“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”
“Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.”
“The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.”
“All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.”
“Those who win every battle are not really skillful—those who render others’ armies helpless without fighting are the best of all.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
Sun Tzu Art Of War Quotes
“All war is deception.”
“All is fair in love and war.”
“Do not press an enemy at bay.”
“Know yourself and you will win all battles.”
“Mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy.”
“Keep your friends close, your enemies even closer.”
“All wars are won or lost before they are ever fought.”
“The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.”
“A wise general makes a point of foraging of the enemy.”
“One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.”
“The height of strategy is to attack your opponent’s strategy.”
“He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.”
“If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.”
“When your opponent gives you an opening, be swift as a hare.”
“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”
“It is more important to out-think your enemy, than to outfight him”
“There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare.”
“He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.”
“Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.”
“The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.”
“If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.”
“There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.”
“Those skilled in warfare move the enemy, and are not moved by the enemy.”
“Know the enemy, know yourself and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles.”
“If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.”
“It is easy to love your friend, but sometimes the hardest lesson to learn is to love your enemy.”
“For them to perceive the advantage of defeating the enemy, they must also have their rewards.”
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
“Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm.”
“If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.”
“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.”
“The skillful employer of men will employ the wise man, the brave man, the covetous man, and the stupid man.”
“If the enemy know not where he will be attacked, he must prepare in every quarter, and so be everywhere weak.”
“The victorious army is victorious first and seeks battle later; the defeated army seeks battle first and seeks victory later.”
“Knowing the enemy enables you to take the offensive, knowing yourself enables you to stand on the defensive.”
“The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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 Picture Quotes And Images
Motivational Sun Tzu ImagesLeadership Picture Quote By Sun TzuInspirational Sun Tzu QuotationsPowerful Sun Tzu QuotesSun Tzu Quotes On LoveSun Tzu QuotesSun Tzu PicturesSun Tzu Quotes WarSun Tzu Pic About EnemySun Tzu Sayings
I am Ananya, a professional speaker and I love motivating people and inspiring them to pursue their dreams. Sharing quotes, proverbs, and sayings of great authors to touch people's lives to make it better.