Achieve Quote by Carl von Clausewitz
“Action in war is like movement in a resistant element. Just as the simplest and most natural of movements, walking, cannot easily be performed in water, so in war, it is difficult for normal efforts to achieve even moderate results.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: On War, 1832
War, like moving in a resistant medium, hampers straightforward actions; effort must adapt to overcome resistance.
In simple terms: War resists simple tactics; adapt effort.
Key Takeaway
Plan strategically to counter resistance.
Themes
warfare
strategy
resistance
adaptation
Mood
analytical
strategic
Type
philosophical
historical
When to use this quote
- battle planning
- conflict resolution
- policy making
- team leadership
Key Concepts
military theory
physics analogies
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you identify when resistance is beneficial?
- When should you push through versus adapt?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on resistance may ignore opportunities for swift action.
![“Rather than comparing [war] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests and activities; and it is still closer to politics, which in turn may be considered as a kind of commerce on a larger scale.” quote by Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c35/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_activity_rather-than-comparing-war-to-art-we-coul_21236.jpg)
