--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now the general who wins a battle makes…" description: "\"“Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calcula..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abc/sun-tzu-283_art_now-the-general-who-wins-a-battle-makes_540353.jpg" --- # Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations… ![“Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention…” quote by Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abc/sun-tzu-283_art_now-the-general-who-wins-a-battle-makes_540353.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abc/sun-tzu-283_art_now-the-general-who-wins-a-battle-makes_540353.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abc/sun-tzu-283_art_now-the-general-who-wins-a-battle-makes_540353.jpg) > ““Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.”” [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success depends on thorough planning; neglecting preparation leads to defeat, and no preparation guarantees failure. **In simple terms:** Plan well to win; lack of planning leads to loss. Key Takeaway Invest time in strategic preparation. Themes strategy preparation leadership Mood determined cautious Type advice strategic When to use this quote - business planning - military campaigns - project management - personal goal setting Key Concepts military tactics risk assessment decision making Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance analysis with decisive action? - When is it better to act on intuition? A Different Perspective Over‑planning can cause paralysis; flexibility is also needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art of war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-war/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Temples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temples/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Win or lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win-or-lose/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [“The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. 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The general who loses makes but few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-general-who-wins-the-battle-makes-many-calculations-in-his-temple/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/do-many-calculations-lead-to-victory-and-few-calculations-to-defeat/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [...a private who loses a rifle suffers far greater consequences than a general who loses a war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-yingling/a-private-who-loses-a-rifle-suffers-far-greater-consequences-than-a/) Paul Yingling > [“A Private who loses his rifle suffers greater consequences than a General who loses a war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lt-col-yingling/a-private-who-loses-his-rifle-suffers-greater-consequences-than-a/) Lt. Col. Yingling > [The Prime Minister wins debate after debate and loses battle after battle. 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