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Chapter Number | Content |
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45 | Carefully going forward with foresighted caution can become a clear expression of wisdom, confer great advantage, and assure success. Caution however commonly appears as cunning which readily arouses distrust, hatred, and a myriad of unexpected problems. For this reason, the more clever the strategy, the more critical to conceal it. Be shrewd, reflect, plan, and distrust but keep your suspicions hidden. Blending this kind of foresighted planning with an inscrutable outward expression develops the most skillful and appropriate action. |
44 | Which means more to you – The more we love something, |
44 | Most associations, partnerships, and social cohesion in general appear to have foundations based on common goals, material reward, and various kinds of advantage. Though enough to initiate a team, it seldom creates meaningful work, happiness, loyalty, or longevity. These grow instead from a more subtle source—a deep and natural like-mindedness based on a non-verbal affinity. The mystery and practical usefulness of this more authentic and genuine foundation evolve a type of respect, esteem, and goodwill that persuades without proposal, accomplishes without effort, and can look almost like magic. |
43 | Like water wearing through stone, |
43 | Think like the wise, speak like the foolish. While the wise often see through deception and distorted views easily, the majority of people don't want things to change—even if obviously for the better—and resist, often violently, contradictory opinions. Few welcome the truth; most hear it as insult, a condemnation of their judgement, a threat to their status quo security. For this reason the wise hide their clarity and insights from the common spotlight, avoid contradicting as well as being contradicted, and take refuge in silence, only becoming visible in special contexts to carefully selected people. |
42 | From the Way came the one The 10,000 things with yin at their backs, Although all the world hates |
42 | True leadership arises from a genuine, a natural, an inborn integrity. More powerful than any kind of trickery or conmanship, this authentic inner authority inspires the respect, the esteem, the faith, the hearts and minds of those around them. Lions because of charisma and kings by way of merit, they often become heads of state, rulers of industry, and managers of movements accomplishing more with a gesture than others do with long speeches. |
41 | When the wise hear of the Tao, The brightest path seems dark, The greatest square has no corners, The Tao is hidden and nameless |
41 | Exaggeration—a close kin of lying— may provide a temporary benefit but quickly turns sour as the truth reveals itself. It wastes distinctions, offends the truth, and demonstrates the shallowness of our thinking, understanding and taste. Exaggerated praise kindles a kind of curiosity, desire, and action that quickly corrodes into disillusionment that cheapens the reputation of both the praised and the praiser. The wise avoid overstatement, prefer understating. |
40 | The Tao is counter-intuitive, |
40 | We often mistake admiration for affection, expect that the first leads to the second, and too often sacrifice the second for the first. Our natural talents, good fortunes, and inspirations can become a source of jealousy and resentments against us; or, they can become a foundation for tremendous goodwill when—instead of getting lazy resting on our accomplishments—we work hard doing good with both hands, being generous with both words and deeds, and being loved because of loving. In the social realm; courtesy, good manners, and grace become a kind of potent political magic. This nobility of spirit easily transmits through the years of history through the blessings of biographers. |
39 | The oneness of life Without clarity, heaven would crack; Because the high is built on the foundation of the low, |
39 | Works of nature mature to a point of ripeness and then degrade. But recognizing and harvesting at this point requires both rare insight and uncommon skill. A similar kind of ripening occurs in the realm of understanding and wisdom; but in the world of art, such points of perfection beyond potential improvement are rare or non-existent. |
38 | The highest goodness, The good the truly good do When those who act When we lose the Way, Opinion is the beginning of ignorance. For these reasons, |
38 | While the extremes of "honor" require an attitude of never surrendering, skillful strategies respect and frequently use subtleties of strategic withdrawal. Gallant retreats often surpass courageous attacks. The higher fortune heaps for us success, good fortune, and luck; the more likely that the luck will end, the success become failure. And so, don't expect luck to last long, quit while still winning, store and hide your resources when you have enough—even when not enough. Fortune often balances the intensity of her favors with the shortness of their time span. |
37 | The wise do nothing through acting, When leaders follow this way, When desires are stilled, |
37 | Learn how to use the subtle art of insinuation, innuendo, and veiled remarks. One of the most sophisticated and nuanced activities of human communication, using this kind of tactfulness spans the range from malicious envy to the most skillful accomplishment. It can help us understand the people we deal with, probe their hearts, and test their integrity; but it can also cause great harm, quickly destroy solid reputations, and destroy the good will of old friends, colleagues, supervisors, and subordinates. Understanding this dynamic also helps inoculate us from the skillful manipulation of others. A foreseen attack is most easily defended against. While an unforeseen intrusion has the power of an ambush, anticipating an attack gives the defense great strength. |
36 | Every rapid collapse The wise hide their light, |
36 | When planning ahead and making decisions, most only consider the opportunity, the resources, the marketplace; few recognize their "luck," even think of luck as superstition. Another way of understanding luck could be the commingling of environmental challenges, cultural momentum, political environment, personal skill and—most importantly— timing. Seneca defined luck as preparation meeting opportunity, bad luck arising from reaching for the opportunity without the preparation. For example, waiting to take care of our health until we're older and having problems becomes a way of creating our own bad luck. On the other hand, cultivating patience, forethought, and unbiased awareness create the kind of luck that seizes realistic opportunity while quickly withdrawing when fortune turns unfavorable. |
35 | Stabilize awareness Music, fancy food, and entertainment |