Pick Your Battles Quote Art Of War
The famous quote "pick your battles" has been attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist, Sun Tzu, who is best known for his book, The Art of War. This quote, along with many others from this classic text, has become popular in modern times and is often used in business, sports, and everyday life to inspire and motivate people to think strategically and make wise decisions.
The Context of the Quote
In his book, The Art of War, Sun Tzu provides a comprehensive guide to military strategy and tactics based on his extensive experience as a general and commander of the armies of the state of Wu during the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. The book is divided into 13 chapters, each of which deals with a different aspect of warfare, such as planning, tactics, leadership, and the use of spies.
The quote "pick your battles" is found in Chapter 3, which is titled "Planning Offensives." The full quote reads:
"Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him. He frustrates the enemy's plans, and the army achieves victory. 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.
...Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
...He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious."
The quote "pick your battles" is often interpreted as meaning that it is better to avoid unnecessary conflicts and conserve your resources for when they are really needed. In other words, don't waste your time and energy on battles that you cannot win or that are not worth fighting. Instead, focus on your strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of your opponent, and choose your battles wisely.
Application of the Quote in Modern Life
The quote "pick your battles" has become a popular catchphrase in modern times and is often used in various contexts to encourage people to think strategically and make wise decisions. For example, in business, it is often used to advise entrepreneurs and managers to focus on their core competencies and avoid getting sidetracked by distractions or small issues that do not contribute to their overall success.
In sports, the quote is often used to advise athletes and coaches to focus on their strengths and weaknesses and to choose their battles wisely. For example, a basketball coach may decide to focus on improving his team's defense rather than trying to outscore the opponent in every game.
In everyday life, the quote is often used to advise people to avoid unnecessary conflicts and to conserve their energy and resources for more important battles. For example, a parent may decide not to argue with their child over every little thing and to save their energy for more important battles, such as teaching their child the value of honesty and hard work.
Conclusion
The quote "pick your battles" is a timeless piece of wisdom that has been used for centuries by military strategists, business leaders, athletes, and everyday people to inspire them to think strategically and make wise decisions. By understanding the context and meaning of this quote, we can learn to focus on our strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of our opponents, and to choose our battles wisely. In this way, we can achieve supreme excellence in all our endeavors and break our enemies' resistance without fighting.