A leader leads by example not by force.

For them to perceive the advantage of defeating the enemy, they must also have their rewards.

Of all those in the army close to the commander, none is more intimate than the secret agent.

Should the enemy strengthen his van, he will weaken his rear; should he strengthen his rear, he will weaken his van; should he strengthen his left, he will weaken his right; should he strengthen his right, he will weaken his left. If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak.

The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities...It is best to win without fighting.

These are the six ways of courting defeat - neglect to estimate the enemy's strength; want of authority; defective training; unjustifiable anger; nonobservance of discipline; failure to use picked men.

Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.