# Avoid strength and act on weakness: meaning and business applications

Reconsider the setting, use case or route before competing on identical terms.

https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/sunzi/choose-your-ground

## Source and summary

[The Art of War · Weak Points and Strong](https://ctext.org/art-of-war/weak-points-and-strong/zh)

> 兵之形，避實而擊虛。

Using water as an analogy, the text describes avoiding strength and approaching weakness.

## Editorial interpretation

Choose ground where your strengths matter

Find conditions your resources can serve and existing options underserve. Check both demand and why competition is limited.

## Business application

When matching a larger competitor feature for feature exceeds your resources.

1. Break down customer work and identify an underserved use case.
2. Offer a small solution and investigate why it is used and what would sustain its use.

Deliverable: A focused use case, resource requirements and a demand-testing prototype.

## Limits

An underserved market may have no demand. Distinguish limited competition from demonstrated customer need.

## Validation question

Can the chosen setting use your strengths and remain useful when conditions change?

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

[This material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/sunzi/choose-your-ground.en.md)

Updated: 2026-10-13 · v1.0.0