3.9

"Therefore, there are five factors to knowing who will win:

1. One who knows if he is able to  fight or not able to fight will win.
2. One who knows how to use the many and the few will win.
3. One whose upper and lower ranks share the same sense of purpose will win.
4. One who, prepared, awaits the unprepared will win.
5. One whose general is able and whose ruler does not govern will win."

​With these five factors, one knows the way of victory."
- Sun Tzu

In this very important passage, Sun Tzu tells us the five factors of knowing who will win, reiterating the five factors he mentions in the beginning. The first factor requires positioning, which relates to Ground. The second factor requires organization, which relates to Methods. The third factor requires to timing and patience, which relates to Heaven. The fourth factor refers to purpose, which relates to Tao. And the fifth factor relates to the general, which obviously refers to the General.

Each of these factors is important when it comes to planning attacks. One can only plan an attack if one is able to attack. One can only plan an attack if one knows how to use his forces properly. One can only plan an attack if the troops are united and the objectives are clear. One can only plan a successful attack if the enemy is unprepared. And one can only plan successful attacks if the general is able to take command and not let the ruler interfere.

In your own life, the five factors still apply and can be restated this way:

1. Those who know if they are able to make a move or not make a move will succeed.
2. Those who know how to adapt to having many or few resources will succeed.
3. Those who have a strong sense of purpose will succeed.
4. Those who, prepared, await opportunities for taking action will succeed.
5. Those who are capable and do not let their idealism override their available options will succeed.

​It's in trying to follow these principles that one advances further and further in their endeavors and achieve greater and greater success.