When people lose touch with Tao,
they start talking about
"righteousness" and "sanctity."
When people forget what's true,
they start talking about
"self-evident truths."
When people have no respect
for one another,
they start talking about
"political correctness"
and "family values."
When the nation is unstable,
people start talking about "patriotism
When a Master takes charge,
hardly anybody notices.
The next best leader
is obeyed out of love.
After that,
there's the leader obeyed out of fear.
The worst leader is one who is hated.
Trust and respect people.
That's how you earn
their trust and respect.
The Masters don't give orders;
they work with everybody else.
When the job's done,
people are amazed
at what they accomplished.
The ancient Masters
were damn impressive.
They were deep. Real deep.
Words can't even begin to describe
how deep they were.
You can only talk
about how they acted.
They were careful,
like a man walking on thin ice.
They were cautious,
like a soldier behind enemy lines.
They were polite,
like a guest at a party.
They moved quickly, like melting ice.
They were as plain as a block of wood.
Their minds were as wide as a valley,
and their hearts as clear
as spring water.
Can you wait
for that kind of openness and clarity
before you try to understand the world?
Can you hold still
until events have unfolded
before you do the right thing?
When you act without expectations,
you can accomplish great things.
Sight obscures.
Noise deafens.
Desire messes with your heart.
The world messes with your mind.
A Master watches the world
but keeps focused on what's real.
Winning can be just as bad as losing.
Confidence can mess you up
just as much as fear.
What does
"winning can be just as bad as losing" mean?
If you're down,
you might be able to get up.
But if you're up,
you can get knocked down real fast.
Don't worry about the score,
just do what you have to do.
What does
"confidence can mess you up
just as much as fear" mean?
Fear can keep you
from getting the job done,
but confidence
can get you in over your head.
Walk tall, but don't get cocky.
Know your limits,
and nothing can ever hold you back.
Deal with what you can.
The rest will follow.
If you drink too much, you get drunk.
The engine won't start
if you're always tinkering with it.
If you hoard wealth,
you fall into its clutches.
If you crave success,
you succumb to failure.
Do what you have to do,
then walk away.
Anything else will drive you nuts.
"Doing the right thing" is like water.
It's good for all living things, and flows without thinking
about where it's going
...just like Tao.
Keep your feet on the ground.
Remember what's important.
Be there when people need you.
Say what you mean.
Be prepared for anything.
Do whatever you can,
whenever it needs doing.
If you don't
compare yourself to others,
nobody can compare to you
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