Beware of flatterers for they will turn on you when it suits them. Learn to recognise sincere praise and distinguish it from the words others think you want to hear. To help you in this, cultivate a taste for bald truth. Prefer it to euphemism. You may have to use diplomacy yourself but always try to see through the diplomacy of others. Always prefer to hear the truth, however unpleasant it may be, than to hear a pleasant lie. For that reason, always encourage those around you to speak the truth pleasantly and discourage pleasant untruths.
Study the situations of others; see where their interests lie. Then you will be able to judge the truth of what they say for they will always speak for their own interests. (By interests here we mean those things that are of advantage to them, not their hobbies).
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
400. Don't Get Too Far Ahead
Do not make the mistake of getting too far ahead of your own troops lest you find yourself cut off and caught in the cross-fire or surrounded and captured.
399. On Enemies
You do not have to DO anything in particular in order to create or acquire enemies. Simply by being the way you are and by doing the things that you do, jealousy, hatred, envy, opposition, a desire to steal from you, and to destroy what you seek to achieve will arise in the world. Strive always to be stronger and smarter than your enemy. Do not allow wars to drag on (they will drain your resources). Act swiftly and efficiently and where possible in such a way that your enemy does not know that it was you who acted against him.
398. Execution
Move quickly and decisively and boldly once you have decided on a course of action but do not move at all until you have a very clear set of outcomes an goals fully formed in your mind. Once you have embarked on a course of action do not cease in your efforts until you have achieved your results. Then immediately set about consolidation. i.e. make the most of what you have achieved. Once you have consolidated, begin on a course of gradual organised expansion. Do not over-extend yourself as this will expose your weaknesses to your enemies.
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