6.16

"Therefore, the ultimate military position goes as far as formlessness. If formless, then the deep gaps cannot be pried into, the wise cannot plan. Determine your position, and you let slip victory over the many. The many cannot be aware. All may know the position by which we achieve victory, but none may know the position by which we created victory."
- Sun Tzu

As he has stated many times before, victory in battle, for Sun Tzu, depends on one's ability to be concealed (or formless) until one can surprise the enemy at the points where he is weak. This is true especially if one's army is smaller than the enemy's. The element of surprise is crucial. If the enemy knows the position by which one strives to achieve victory, he can easily defend against it.

In your own life, concealment is equally as important. Conceal your intentions, conceal your strategy, conceal your positioning. People may be able to see that you achieved a certain position of success, but they should not be able to see all the little maneuvers you had to do to get there.

Everything rests on your ability to keep your situation hidden.