"We do claim that direct annihilation of the enemy’s forces must always be the dominant consideration... Once a major victory is achieved there must be no talk of rest, of breathing space... but only of the pursuit, going for the enemy again, seizing his capital, attacking his reserves and anything else that might give his country aid and comfort."
- Carl von Clausewitz
Insight: You lose leverage in negotiations when you only achieve partial victory.
Principle: Give your opponents no options, you cannot afford to go halfway.
"The best strategy is always to be very strong first in general, then at the decisive point... There is no higher and simpler law of strategy than that of keeping one’s forces concentrated... In short the first principle is: act with the utmost concentration."
- Carl von Clausewitz
Insight: Your are better off finding a rich mine and mining it deeper than going from one shallow mine to the next.
Insight: Intensity defeats extensity every time.
Principle: Concentrate your forces and energy at their strongest point.
"There are very few men—and they are the exceptions — who are able to think and feel beyond the present moment."
- Carl von Clausewitz
Insight: By imagining the future and all potential scenarios, you will feel less overwhelmed if things do not go according to plan.
Principle: Plan all the way to the end, thinking about the consequences of action, obstacles, risks.
Insight: There is always a difference between our plans and what actually happens - Carl von Clausewitz called this "friction."
"The first principle is that the ultimate substance of enemy strength must be traced back to the fewest possible sources, and ideally to one alone... By constantly seeking out the centre of his power, by daring all to win all, will one really defeat the enemy."
- Carl von Clausewitz
Insight: The ultimate strategy when facing an opponent is to attack their centre of gravity - that which without the opponents position will collapse.
Principle: Analyse your opponent. Search for that which holds everything together. Hit them in the centre of gravity with all of your force and focus.
"Pursue one great decisive aim with force and determination"
- Carl von Clausewitz
Insight: Clarity is essential.
Principle: Set clear, specific goals and objectives.
"The two factors that produce surprise are secrecy and speed."
- Carl von Clausewitz
Insight: In business, the ability to mobilise resources with speed can give you a market advantage.
"War is the continuation of politics by other means."
- Carl von Clausewitz
Insight: Many people value group values above themselves, and may be willing to die for their values. Collisions of culture will inevitably result in war.
"War is the realm of uncertainty"
- Carl von Clausewitz, On War
Insight: Clausewitz is often credited with the term "fog of war", although he never used the term.
"War is the continuation of politics by other means."
- Carl von Clausewitz
Insight: As long as humans remain, there will always be disputes (war) about which groups get to live where, and what resources belong to who.
Insight: Carl von Clausewitz, argued that detailed plans usually fail because things change over time.
Key Insights & Principles
Strategy & Planning
There is always a difference between our plans and what happens - Carl von Clausewitz called this "friction."
Detailed and inflexible plans usually fail because things change over time.
By imagining the future and all potential scenarios, you will feel less overwhelmed if things do not go according to plan.
The ultimate strategy when facing an opponent is to attack their centre of gravity - that which without the opponents position will collapse.
You lose leverage in negotiations when you only achieve partial victory.
Intensity defeats extensity every time.
As long as humans remain, there will always be disputes (war) about which groups get to live where, and what resources belong to who.
Analyse your opponent. Search for that which holds everything together. Hit them in the centre of gravity with all of your force and focus.
Leave your opponents with no options.
Concentrate your forces and energy at their strongest point.
Plan all the way to the end, thinking about the consequences of action, obstacles, risks.
