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Daily Reflection 3.30.21
Mar. 30th, 2021 07:35 amSun Tzu tells us to
This harkens back to Sun Tzu's words way back in Chapter 1:
It's occurred to me lately that I talk a lot about self-knowledge. And that's appropriate, given that my main focus in these reflections is on what I've been calling the battle within or the conquest of the soul. But even when we are working solely to change ourselves from within, we often encounter resistance from without. Sometimes this is direct and obvious, as in the case of friends or family who don't wish us to change. Other times, it occurs without any apparent cause. A woman of my acquaintance recently informed me of her desire to lose weight. The very next day, a coworker came to her office and offered her McDonald's for lunch. The coworker had never done that before. This, of course, is why I always say that we shouldn't talk about our plans. Regardless, it's very often the case that as soon as we announce an intention, even to ourselves, some form of resistance appears.
We should undertake all of our goals with the awareness that we're going to encounter resistance. Resistance isn't a bad thing-- it's by the resistance of heavy weights that we strengthen our muscles; it's by the resistance of beams and pillars that buildings are erected. Let's be aware of it and be prepared to use it to accomplish our goals.
But whenever we encounter deliberate resistance, in the form of another person blocking us from our goals or attempting to turn us toward some other goal of their own-- whether this person is acting intentionally or not-- we need, to the extent that we can, to understand what the person wants. It's only by doing that that we can "know our enemy," which, along with knowing ourselves-- that is, defining our own goals-- allows us to achieve victory.
Ponder and deliberate before you make a move
This harkens back to Sun Tzu's words way back in Chapter 1:
Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand.
It's occurred to me lately that I talk a lot about self-knowledge. And that's appropriate, given that my main focus in these reflections is on what I've been calling the battle within or the conquest of the soul. But even when we are working solely to change ourselves from within, we often encounter resistance from without. Sometimes this is direct and obvious, as in the case of friends or family who don't wish us to change. Other times, it occurs without any apparent cause. A woman of my acquaintance recently informed me of her desire to lose weight. The very next day, a coworker came to her office and offered her McDonald's for lunch. The coworker had never done that before. This, of course, is why I always say that we shouldn't talk about our plans. Regardless, it's very often the case that as soon as we announce an intention, even to ourselves, some form of resistance appears.
We should undertake all of our goals with the awareness that we're going to encounter resistance. Resistance isn't a bad thing-- it's by the resistance of heavy weights that we strengthen our muscles; it's by the resistance of beams and pillars that buildings are erected. Let's be aware of it and be prepared to use it to accomplish our goals.
But whenever we encounter deliberate resistance, in the form of another person blocking us from our goals or attempting to turn us toward some other goal of their own-- whether this person is acting intentionally or not-- we need, to the extent that we can, to understand what the person wants. It's only by doing that that we can "know our enemy," which, along with knowing ourselves-- that is, defining our own goals-- allows us to achieve victory.
