Original Text(~161 words)
Sun Tzu said: There are five ways of attacking with fire. The first is to burn soldiers in their camp; the second is to burn stores; the third is to burn baggage trains; the fourth is to burn arsenals and magazines; the fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the enemy. This short chapter covers fire attacks—using elemental force multipliers rather than direct engagement. Fire can destroy supplies, disrupt camps, and create chaos with minimal commitment of troops. But it requires specific conditions: dry weather, proper wind direction, proper timing. The broader principle is leverage: small inputs creating disproportionate effects. Fire is just one example; any force multiplier follows the same logic—understanding the conditions required and exploiting them. The chapter ends with a crucial leadership principle: 'Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical.' Never fight from anger. Anger passes; the dead stay dead.
Continue reading the full chapter
Purchase the complete book to access all chapters and support classic literature
As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats
Summary
This short chapter covers fire attacks—using elemental force multipliers rather than direct engagement. Fire can destroy supplies, disrupt camps, and create chaos with minimal commitment of troops. But it requires specific conditions: dry weather, proper wind direction, proper timing. The broader principle is leverage: small inputs creating disproportionate effects. Fire is just one example; any force multiplier follows the same logic—understanding the conditions required and exploiting them. The chapter ends with a crucial leadership principle: 'Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical.' Never fight from anger. Anger passes; the dead stay dead.
That's what happens. To understand what the author is really doing—and to discuss this chapter with confidence—keep reading.
Terms to Know
Attack by fire
Using leverage and force multiplication rather than direct engagement
Modern Usage:
Finding disproportionate impacts—small actions that create large results
Move not unless you see advantage
Never act without clear strategic purpose
Modern Usage:
Every initiative should have a clear 'why'—not just activity for activity's sake
Characters in This Chapter
Sun Tzu
Strategist teaching leverage and restraint
Shows that emotion—especially anger—is the enemy of strategy
Modern Equivalent:
The investor who never makes decisions when emotional
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
The ability to separate emotional reactions from strategic decisions—ensuring that temporary feelings never produce permanent consequences.
Practice This Today
For major decisions, build in a 24-hour delay when you're emotional. Ask: is this decision coming from strategy or from feeling?
You have the foundation. Now let's look closer.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical."
Context: The principle of purposeful action
Activity without purpose is waste. Every engagement should have clear strategic logic.
In Today's Words:
Don't do things just to do things. Every action should have a clear reason and expected return.
"A kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life."
Context: Warning against irreversible decisions made in anger
Anger passes; consequences don't. Strategic decisions must never be driven by emotion.
In Today's Words:
Some mistakes can't be undone. Never make permanent decisions based on temporary emotions.
Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Strategic Leverage
Seeking actions with disproportionate impact (leverage) while ensuring decisions are never driven by temporary emotions that produce permanent regrets.
Thematic Threads
Strategy
In This Chapter
Leverage—small actions with disproportionate results
Development
The theme of efficiency throughout Sun Tzu reaches its peak
In Your Life:
Where could you apply leverage—small actions with large impacts?
Wisdom
In This Chapter
Never act from anger; never fight without clear purpose
Development
Emotional discipline as the foundation of strategic success
In Your Life:
Have you ever made a permanent decision from temporary emotion?
Modern Adaptation
The Anger Response
Following Maya's story...
A competitor's CEO publicly attacks Maya in an industry publication—calling her company 'overhyped' and her leadership 'inexperienced.' Maya is furious. Her team drafts aggressive response statements. Then she remembers Sun Tzu: 'A kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being.' She asks: what do I gain from responding? The competitor wants her to engage in a public fight—it raises their profile. Responding from anger serves his strategy, not hers. She takes 24 hours. Her anger passes. She sees the strategic reality: the attack is a sign of fear. Her competitor feels threatened. The best response is to continue executing and let results speak. She responds not with anger but with leverage: she releases three major customer case studies the following week. The conversation shifts from his attack to her traction. 'Move not unless you see an advantage.'
The Road
Maya practices the Road of Emotional Discipline—refusing to let anger drive strategic response
The Map
Sun Tzu's principle: temporary emotions produce permanent consequences. Act from calculation, not feeling.
Amplification
The strategic mind pauses when provoked. Anger is their weapon against you. Don't use it for them.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What 'leverage points' exist in your field—small actions that produce disproportionate results?
analysis • medium - 2
Have you ever made a permanent decision from temporary emotion? What happened?
reflection • deep - 3
How do you create space between emotion and action in your decision-making?
application • medium
Critical Thinking Exercise
The Leverage Hunt
Identify potential leverage points in your current work—small actions that could produce disproportionate results.
Consider:
- •What single relationship could unlock multiple opportunities?
- •What single action could shift perception broadly?
- •What conditions would need to exist for this leverage to work?
- •How do you create those conditions?
Journaling Prompt
Describe a time when you responded strategically rather than emotionally to a provocation. What did restraint gain you?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 13: The Use of Spies
What lies ahead teaches us intelligence is the foundation of all strategy, and shows us the five types of intelligence sources and how to use each. These patterns appear in literature and life alike.