The way to The Top

First- before I start-

Watch this video:

https://web.facebook.com/chesterlawrence.delfino/videos/851975431603756/

This video has nothing to do with today's post.

It has to do with a lot of us, me included, being martial artists, but not being in control of the world.

Why I am talking about this is that a lot of "life coaches", charlatans and bottom feeding opportunists have identified this desire in all of us to be our own bosses, to become a director at the company where your managers barely seem to notice you or to just wear the pants in your own house.

These people go out and feed us all this feel good crap like- "be confident!", "be the alpha male", don't take no for an answer" and crap like that. Then- after the seminar these kids go out into the real world and get their asses kicked.

I, myself, have for instance developed an effective countermove for people who don't take "no" for an answer. It is called "fuck you." (We can discuss the ethics of foul language later...)

Now- if feel good seminars or a positive mind oblivious of those around you is not the answer what is?

Master Sun...?

Well... Master Sun says this:

"Now how does this work?" you may ask...

Well- this is another way of putting an age old martial arts principle into words namely: Instead of trying to control your surroundings you should first control yourself.

You may remember the frustrated parent slogan: "Teenagers- first straighten out your room and then the world"

Well- as annoying as I have found that as a teenager (mostly because the amount of dishonesty and unfairness I have faced in my daily life never seemed to be affected by how tidy my room was)- whoever had come up with this snotty piece of advice to teenagers actually has a point.

Before you can become a boss at work you first have to learn to put your selfish needs aside so that you can give your work the type of dedication deserving of reward and do the things that make your superiors happy instead of yourself. Oh- I have to mention that rising to power at work requires a lot of sucking up to those whom you cannot intimidate. So- cultivating humility is a big must...

Before your wife can stop undermining you you would first have to take the trouble of being someone that she can respect.

In many cases I at least make sure that I can respect myself. That means catering to my conscience more than the whims of whoever wants something from me. That gives me the courage to maintain myself in any type of company.

It requires discipline, though.

Ummm... Before I finish this post I just want to make sure we all know that Master Sun (Sun Tzu) had written this statement in the context of how an army as to be governed. Because disciplined people are capable of taking advantage of the careless and lazy it is a given that a disciplined army with strong morale was seen as far back as in those ancient times to have an advantage over a band of flea-bitten savages who did not really care about what they were doing.   

As always- I had a great time typing this post. Stay well and have a great week!