--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be practical, any plan must take…" description: "\"To be practical, any plan must take account of the enemy's power to frustrate it.\" — Carl von Clausewitz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72c/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_accounts_to-be-practical-any-plan-must-take-accou_3037864.jpg" --- # To be practical, any plan must take account of the enemy's… ![“To be practical, any plan must take account of the enemy's power to frustrate it.” quote by Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72c/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_accounts_to-be-practical-any-plan-must-take-accou_3037864.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72c/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_accounts_to-be-practical-any-plan-must-take-accou_3037864.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72c/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_accounts_to-be-practical-any-plan-must-take-accou_3037864.jpg) > “To be practical, any plan must take account of the enemy's power to frustrate it.” [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A realistic plan must consider the enemy’s ability to disrupt it. **In simple terms:** Plan must account for enemy power. Key Takeaway Anticipate obstacles. Themes strategy military planning Mood strategic pragmatic Type analytical practical When to use this quote - business strategy - military campaigns - project management Key Concepts risk assessment adversary analysis contingency planning Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance threat assessment with initiative? - What contingencies are essential? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on enemy can cause paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accounts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accounts/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Enemy Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-power-1172958/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans/) [Power Frustrate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-frustrate-4992767/) [Practical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practical/) [Practical Plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practical-plan-4992766/) [Practicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practicals/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) ## Related quotes > [“A vision without a practical plan to develop it, is only that… “a vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ja-perez/a-vision-without-a-practical-plan-to-develop-it-is-only-that-a-vision/) [JA Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ja-perez/) > [Truth is always the enemy of power. And power the enemy of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/truth-is-always-the-enemy-of-power-and-power-the-enemy-of-truth/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“The enemy's power is rendered powerless in the presence of God's promises.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/the-enemy-s-power-is-rendered-powerless-in-the-presence-of-god-s/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [“For true names in the mouth of an enemy have power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-danley/for-true-names-in-the-mouth-of-an-enemy-have-power/) [Kate Danley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-danley/) > [Don't let your enemies words control your emotions. An enemy should never have that much power over you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/don-t-let-your-enemies-words-control-your-emotions-an-enemy-should/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [When you have an enemy in your power, deprive him of the means of ever injuring you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/when-you-have-an-enemy-in-your-power-deprive-him-of-the-means-of-ever/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Balk the enemy's power; force him to reveal himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/balk-the-enemy-s-power-force-him-to-reveal-himself/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [An enemy should never have the power to make you hate yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/an-enemy-should-never-have-the-power-to-make-you-hate-yourself/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“Great Light, the Enemy's power is so fragile! 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Lawhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-lawhead/) > [Science is practical philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/science-is-practical-philosophy/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [I have a wife, a son, and I've had some practical life experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-meraz/i-have-a-wife-a-son-and-i-ve-had-some-practical-life-experience/) [Alex Meraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-meraz/) > [There are times when the most practical thing is to lie down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/there-are-times-when-the-most-practical-thing-is-to-lie-down/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [Be a practical dreamer backed by action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/be-a-practical-dreamer-backed-by-action/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [I'm very practical and realistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debby-ryan/i-m-very-practical-and-realistic/) [Debby Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debby-ryan/) > [I deal with more practical issues of the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/i-deal-with-more-practical-issues-of-the-bible/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) ## More by Carl von Clausewitz > [Only great and general battles can produce great results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/only-great-and-general-battles-can-produce-great-results/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Politics is the womb in which war develops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/politics-is-the-womb-in-which-war-develops/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [ Rather than comparing \[war\] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests and activities;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/rather-than-comparing-war-to-art-we-could-more-accurately-compare-it/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Savage peoples are ruled by passion, civilized peoples by the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/savage-peoples-are-ruled-by-passion-civilized-peoples-by-the-mind/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [After we have thought out everything carefully in advance and have sought and found without prejudice the most plausible plan, we must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/after-we-have-thought-out-everything-carefully-in-advance-and-have/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Intelligence alone is not courage, we often see that the most intelligent people are irresolute. 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