The Art of War

Sun Tzu

📚 GENRE: Miscellaneous

📃 PAGES: 68

✅ COMPLETED: November 27, 2021

🧐 RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

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Short Summary

Written by the ancient Chinese General Sun Tzu, The Art of War outlines key military strategies and tactics, many of which have surprisingly strong ties to the business world. Among many concepts, Tzu discusses the advantages that come with discipline and preparation.

Key Takeaways

1️⃣ Be Disciplined — Whether it’s war or daily life, the more disciplined person or team is usually going to win. Develop a routine filled with daily habits that are helping you towards your goals and have the discipline to execute them consistently. 

2️⃣ Be Prepared — No matter what you’re doing, make it a habit to come in prepared. Whether it’s a meeting, a doctor’s appointment, or anything else — take the time to prepare yourself beforehand. Preparation is impressive and will save you a lot of time and energy.

3️⃣ Be Unselfish — Great leaders are unselfish and care about team success over individual success. Whether it’s at work, your rec. basketball squad, or family, always support your teammates and go to battle with them. 

Favorite Quote

"If, in the midst of difficulties, we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune."

Book Notes 📑

Introduction

  • The Art of War is an influential document about tactical warfare written by the ancient Chinese military strategist and general, Sun Tzu.
  • The Art of War has remained relevant over the years because it is about strategy and tactics rather than specific warfare technology. 
    • It has influenced leaders all over the world, not only in warfare but in many areas of life, including business.
    • New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick reads this book every year. 
  • This book was written somewhere between 475 and 221 B.C.E.
  • The Art of War stresses preparation for battle above all, including planning around climate and battle terrain, studying the enemy’s movements and weaknesses, and proper training of soldiers.

Ch. 1: Laying Plans

  • Victory or defeat can be forecasted by comparing the following factors between army’s:
    1. Which of the two has the Moral Law?
      • The Moral Law is when the people are in complete unison with their leader and will follow him regardless of the danger or consequences. 
      • The successful leader cultivates The Moral Law.
    2. Which of the two generals has the most ability?
    3. Who has the advantages derived from Heaven and Earth?
      • Heaven — signifies night and day, cold and heat, time and seasons.
      • Earth — signifies distances great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes: the chances of life and death. 
    4. On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced?
    5. Which army is stronger?
    6. On which side are the officers and men more highly trained?
    7. In which army is there greater consistency in reward and punishment? 
  • All warfare is based on deception.
    • Quote (P. 7): “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.”
  • Quote (P. 7): “The general who wins a battle makes his calculations in his temple where the battle is fought. The general who loses makes only a few calculations beforehand. Thus, many calculations lead to victory. It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.”
    • Lesson: You have to prepare yourself in order to win. Be prepared ahead of time when attempting to do something. 
    • New York Yankees SS Derek Jeter has admitted that his biggest fear is being unprepared. 

Ch. 2: Waging War

  • The people of a nation are depending on the military to win for their own wellbeing.
  • War takes a big toll on the nation’s people. 
  • The goal of war should be swift victory, not long campaigns.

Ch. 3: Attack by Strategem

  • There are 5 keys to victory:
    1. He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
    2. He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
    3. He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit (enthusiasm) throughout all its ranks.
    4. He will win he who prepared himself and waits to take the enemy unprepared. 
    5. He will win who has military capacity and is not inferred with by the country. 
  • Quote (P. 15): “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 fall in every battle.”
  • Attacking a city in an all out siege is not smart. The skillful leader subdues enemy troops without fighting. He overthrows the kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.
    • Attack the enemy when they aren’t expecting it. Never go all out at a city. You will lose many of your people and won’t accomplish anything.

Ch. 4: Attack by Strategem

  • Good fighters secure themselves against being defeated, but defeating the enemy requires help from the enemy. 
  • Security against defeat implies defensive tactics. The ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive. 
  • What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but wins with ease.
    • To do this, you win battles by making no mistakes.
    • By doing this, the skillful fighter puts himself in a position where defeat is impossible, and he does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy. 

Ch. 5: The Army on the March

  • This chapter discusses signs of enemy activity.
    • Dust patterns, tree movement, environmental cues, enemy soldier behavior, etc.
  • Ideally, an army wants to be tactically positioned on high ground and in areas with a lot of light. 
  • Quote (P. 26): “He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponent is sure to be captured by them.”
    • Lesson: Always be prepared AND respect the opponent. 
  • Quote (P. 26): “Soldiers must be treated in the first instance with humanity, but kept under control by means of iron discipline. This is a certain road to victory. If in training, soldiers’ commands are habitually enforced, the army will be well-disciplined. If not, its discipline will be bad.”
    • Lesson: Performing the good habits you’ve developed day after day after day consistently enforces them and builds discipline, which is a requisite to success. 

Ch. 6: Energy

  • The control of large forces is the same principle as the control of a few men — it’s a question of dividing up their numbers.
  • In battle, there are two methods of attack:
    • Direct 
    • Indirect 
    • In combination, these two give rise to an endless series of maneuvers.
  • Smart leaders look to the effect of combined energy, and don’t require too much from individuals.
    • The ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy is key for a leader. 

Ch. 7: Weak Points and Strong

  • Quote (P. 31): “Whoever is first in the field and awaits the enemy will be fresh for the fight. Whoever is second has to hasten to battle and will be exhausted.”
    • Therefore, the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy’s will be imposed on him.
    • Be early! Dictate the terms. 
    • Again, come in prepared.
  • Quote (P. 34): “So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.”
    • Carefully study your opponent and identity his weaknesses. Then attack those weaknesses. 
  • Quote (P. 35): “He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent will succeed in winning.”

Ch. 8: Variation in Tactics

  • You have to be able to adapt to different circumstances.
    • Quote (P. 43): “The general who thoroughly understands the advantages that accompany variation of tactics knows how to handle his troops.”
  • Quote (P. 44): “If, in the midst of difficulties, we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.”
    • Lesson: You have to be optimistic and look for opportunities, even in difficult times. 
  • Quote (P. 44): “The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy not coming, but in our own readiness to receive him.”
    • Lesson: Don’t assume an opportunity won’t come. Prepare yourself for an opportunity and strike when it presents itself. 
  • There are 5 sins of a General: 
    1. Recklessness, which leads to destruction.
    2. Cowardice, which leads to capture.
    3. Temper, which can be provoked by insults.
    4. Sensitivity
    5. Over-concern for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.

Ch. 9: Terrain

  • Unselfish leaders lead without seeking fame in success and without fearing disgrace in failure.
    • Be an unselfish leader.
  • Quote (P. 48): “Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon them as your own sons and they will stand by you unto death.”
  • Quote (P. 49): “If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt.”
    • Lesson: Know yourself and study your opponent. 

Ch. 10: The Nine Situations

  • Strong leaders shield their men from the negatives and are optimistic.
  • When backed into a corner, soldiers will always fight hard. 

Ch. 11: The Attack by Fire

  • No leader should fight a battle just for the sake of fighting a battle.
  • Pick your battles wisely. 

Ch. 12: The Use of Spies

  • Spies are very important in war.
  • The purpose of a spy is gaining detailed knowledge on the enemy, which directly boosts preparation and execution.
  • 5 types of spies:
    1. Local Spy — Someone in the enemy’s local community.
    2. Inward Spy — An official or political figure in the enemy’s ranks.
    3. Converted Spy — The enemy’s spy that you captured and use against the enemy by distributing incorrect information.
    4. Doomed Spy — A spy you send to the enemy with the purpose of being caught so he can feed the enemy incorrect information. 
    5. Surviving Spy — The spy you ultimately learn from and use their information.