--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Use humility to make the enemy haughty…" description: "\"Use humility to make the enemy haughty. Tire them by flight. Cause division among them. When they are unprepared, attack and make your move when they d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sun-tzu-283_causes_use-humility-to-make-the-enemy-haughty-t_2658217.jpg" --- # Use humility to make the enemy haughty. Tire them by… ![“Use humility to make the enemy haughty. Tire them by flight. Cause division among them. When they are unprepared, attack and make your move when they do not expect it.” quote by Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sun-tzu-283_causes_use-humility-to-make-the-enemy-haughty-t_2658217.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sun-tzu-283_causes_use-humility-to-make-the-enemy-haughty-t_2658217.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sun-tzu-283_causes_use-humility-to-make-the-enemy-haughty-t_2658217.jpg) > “Use humility to make the enemy haughty. Tire them by flight. Cause division among them. When they are unprepared, attack and make your move when they do not expect it.” [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. Use humility to provoke arrogance in opponents, then exploit their disarray with unexpected attacks. **In simple terms:** Humility can make enemies overconfident, creating openings. Key Takeaway Stay modest, observe, and strike when they’re unprepared. Themes strategy humility psychology Mood strategic calm Type tactical inspirational When to use this quote - Military campaigns - business competition - political maneuvering Key Concepts Deception timing division Questions to Reflect On - When might humility be misread as weakness? - How can I balance modesty with decisive action? A Different Perspective Overreliance on deception can backfire. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Division](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/division/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Enemy Haughty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-haughty-2405568/) [Flight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flight/) [Haughty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/haughty/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Humility Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility-make-1201315/) [Make Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-enemy-748155/) [Make your move](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-your-move-116386/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Tire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tire/) [Unprepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unprepared/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-humility-2405567/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Ponder and deliberate before you make your move. He will conquer who has learned the artifice of deviation. Such is the art of maneuvering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/ponder-and-deliberate-before-you-make-your-move-he-will-conquer-who/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [I have no use for humility. I am a fellow with an exceptional talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-gleason/i-have-no-use-for-humility-i-am-a-fellow-with-an-exceptional-talent/) [Jackie Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-gleason/) > [“When we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/when-we-are-near-we-must-make-the-enemy-believe-we-are-far-away/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Make your move BEFORE you are ready!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-brown/make-your-move-before-you-are-ready/) [Les Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-brown/) > [Professional marriage counselors agree that the most productive and mature way to deal with marital anger is to stomp dramatically from the room. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/professional-marriage-counselors-agree-that-the-most-productive-and/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Patience; this is the greatest business asset. Wait for the right time to make your moves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/patience-this-is-the-greatest-business-asset-wait-for-the-right-time/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [Well, in regards to surfing, I’ve learned that there is always another wave coming. Translated that means there is always tomorrow. No matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-lopez/well-in-regards-to-surfing-i-ve-learned-that-there-is-always-another/) [Gerry Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-lopez/) > [Under the blessings of Divine Providence ... 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Polk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-polk/) > [“That of His great goodness He would make known to you, and take from your heart, every kind and form and degree of Pride,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/that-of-his-great-goodness-he-would-make-known-to-you-and-take-from/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [“Lord, I pray that of Your great goodness You would make known to me, and take from my heart, every kind and form and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/lord-i-pray-that-of-your-great-goodness-you-would-make-known-to-me/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [Humility is to make a right estimate of one's self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/humility-is-to-make-a-right-estimate-of-one-s-self/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/humility-is-to-make-a-right-estimate-of-oneself/) [Charles H. 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It is no humility for a man to think less of himself than he ought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/humility-is-to-make-a-right-estimate-of-oneself-it-is-no-humility-for/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) ## More by Sun Tzu > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. 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Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“So long as victory can be attained,  stupid haste is preferable to clever dilatoriness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/so-long-as-victory-can-be-attained-stupid-haste-is-preferable-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/you-can-ensure-the-safety-of-your-defense-if-you-only-hold-positions/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/hence-when-able-to-attack-we-must-seem-unable-when-using-our-forces/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/if-we-do-not-wish-to-fight-we-can-prevent-the-enemy-from-engaging-us/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. 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