# Planning: compare before committing: summary

Treats war as a consequential decision and compares purpose, timing, terrain, leadership and organization before acting.

https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/sunzi/chapter-01-planning-compare-before-committing

## Source and summary

[Sunzi · The Art of War · Planning: compare before committing](https://zh.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E5%AD%AB%E5%AD%90%E5%85%B5%E6%B3%95&oldid=7906064#%E5%A7%8B%E8%A8%88%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%80)

> 孫子曰：兵者，國之大事，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察也。故經之以五事，校之以七計，而索其情：一曰道，二曰天，三曰地，四曰將，五曰法。

Treats war as a consequential decision and compares purpose, timing, terrain, leadership and organization before acting.

## Editorial interpretation

The example below adapts this chapter’s questions to modern work. Evaluate it against the actual purpose and conditions; ancient politics, warfare or ethics do not establish business results.

## Business application

Before starting a venture, compare customer needs, available people, competitors and timing in one table; identify a missing condition.

1. Choose one relevant case and record its objective, available resources, verified facts and unknowns.
2. Compare options using this chapter’s perspective; choose a limited trial, owner, deadline and a measure to assess the result.

Deliverable: A comparison using planning: compare before committing, with conditions for acting or declining.

## Limits

The summary selects main points rather than translating every sentence. The example is not a demonstrated business method; check it against stakeholders’ conditions and actual evidence.

## Validation question

How does this chapter’s perspective change the selected option or priority, and what further evidence could change the decision?

[The Art of War: a guide to key ideas](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/sunzi)

[This material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/sunzi/chapter-01-planning-compare-before-committing.en.md)

Updated: 2026-10-13 · v1.0.0