Wen Tzu - Verse 162

from Verse One Hundred Sixty-Two

Those who are skillful at rewarding provide much encouragement at little expense, those who are skillful at penalization prevent treachery with minimal punishment. Those who are skillful at giving are frugal yet considered benevolent; those who are skillful at taking have a lot of income but are not resented.

~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~

Of course, the operative word in this passage is skillful. When any of us has trained in a particular aspect of life, we don't need to think our way through the process. We don't need to weigh options or formulate strategies. We don't need to take a look at a cost-benefit analysis. We simply do what needs to be done with little fanfare.

This is another way to state a recurring theme for Lao Tzu -- going with the flow.

It's only when we fight the currents in life that we need to size things up. That is the time when the cost-benefit analysis comes into play.

This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.