from Verse NineThose who attain the Way are weak in ambition but strong at work; their minds are open and their responses are fitting. Those weak in ambition are flexible and yielding, peaceful and quiet; they hide in nonacquisitiveness and pretend to be inexpert. Tranquil and uncontrived, when they act they do not miss the timing.~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~
Imagine such silly notions being taught at the world's leading business schools! Succeed without ambition? Poppycock!!
Of course, the problem with ambition is that it's firmly rooted in the ego and the ego is the foundation for most of our problems. Consequently, allowing the ego to lead the way as we blaze our paths in the world is setting up each of us for a life of tension and imbalance.
Think back to the previous verse (that's verse 8 for those of you not keeping score at home!). Water is not ambitious, yet it rules the world. It has no concept of self or ego, yet it's ubiquitous. It doesn't strive, yet it can accomplish anything. It doesn't plot; it flows.
Be like a river.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
Of course, the problem with ambition is that it's firmly rooted in the ego and the ego is the foundation for most of our problems. Consequently, allowing the ego to lead the way as we blaze our paths in the world is setting up each of us for a life of tension and imbalance.
Think back to the previous verse (that's verse 8 for those of you not keeping score at home!). Water is not ambitious, yet it rules the world. It has no concept of self or ego, yet it's ubiquitous. It doesn't strive, yet it can accomplish anything. It doesn't plot; it flows.
Be like a river.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
Nice verse.
ReplyDeleteAs for the ego, it is so easy to fool the ego and lead it on that we can't really blame those who have been trapped by it.
The house has the garage, has the car, has the suited person, has the haircut, has the big ideas, has the ego, has the mind struggling for air and the spirit quashed. Long way up for air.
But people do escape it for many reasons and when they finally get to read this will slap their moisturized forehead in realization of a wasted 50 years chasing dollars not happiness.
Happiness that was there all along but was under 3 tons of armor.