Lakhasly

When to«" tt" .t+«' to act, «.. th. one
control. It is aLwQ)s betty to mak )ouv ol4one t come to
alan(hninghis plans ttw process. Lure him
with jbbulou.s gains attack. You hold ttw cards



r:low many times has this scenario played
itself out in history: A.n aggressive leader ini-
tiates a series of bold moves that begin by
bringing him much power. Slowly, however,
his power reaches a peak, and soon every-
thing tums against him. His numerous ene-
mies band together; trying to maintain his
power, he exhausts himself going in this
direction and that, and inevitably he col-
lapses. The reason for this patten is that the
aggressive person is rarely in full control. He
cannot see more than a couple of moves
ahead, cannot see the consequences of this
bold move or that one. Because he is con-
stantly being forced to react to the moves of
his ever growing host of enemies, and to the
unforeseen consequences of his own rash
actions, his aggressive energy is turned
against him.
In the realm of power, you must ask
yourself, 'What is the point of chasing here
and there, trying to solve problems and
defeat my enemies, if I never feel in control?
Why am I always having to react to events
instead of directing them? The answer is sim-
ple: Your idea of power is vnong. Ybu have
mistaken aggressive action for effective
action. And most often the most effective
action is to stay back, keep calm, and let oth-
ers be frustrated by the traps you lay for
them, playing for longterm power bathed '

than quick victory.
Remember: The essence ofpower is the
ability to keep the initiative, to get others to
react to moves, to keep your opponent
and those around you on the defensive.
When you make other people come to you,

you suddenly become the one controlling
[he situation. And the one who has contro]
has power. Two things must happen to place
you in this position: You yourself must learn
to master your emotions, and never to be
influenced by anger; meanwhile, however,
you must play on people's natural tendency
to react angrily when pwhed and baited. In
the long run, the ability to make others come
to you is a weapon far more powerful than
any tool of ession.
One added benefit of making the oppo-
nent come to you is that it forces him to oper-
ate in your territory. Being on hostile ground
will make him nervous and often he will rush
his actions and make mistakes. For negotia-
tions or meetings it is always wise to lure
others into your territory, or the tenitory of
your choice. You have your bearings, while
they see nothing familiar and are subtly
placed on the defensive.
Manipulation is a dangerous game.
Once someone suspects he is being manipu-
lated, it becomes harder and harder to con-
Uol him. But when you make your opponent
come to you, you create the illusion that he is

controlling the situation.
The great nineteenth-century robber
baron Daniel Drew was a master at playing
the stock market. When he wanted a particu-
lar stock to be bought or sold, driving prices
up or down, he rarely resorted to the direct
approach. One of his tricks was to hurry
through an exclusive club near Wall Street,
obviously on his way to the stock exchange,
and to pull out his customary red bandanna
to wipe his perspiring brow. A slip of paper
would fall from this bandanna that he would




pretend not to notice. The club's membbers
were always g to foresee Drew's moves,
and they would pounce on the paper, \
invariably seemed to contain an inside tip on
a stock Word would spread, and me:mbeki
would buy or sell the stock in droves, playing
perfectly into Drew's hands.
Eve g dependson Me sweetness of
your bait. If your tmp is attractive enough,
the turbulence of your enemies' emotions
and desires will blind them to reality. The
greedier they become, the more they can be
led around.

Image: The Honeyed Bear
Trap- The bear hunter does not
chase his p rey; a bear th at knows
it is hunted is nearly impossible to
catch, and is ferocious if cor-
nered. Instead, the hunter lays
caps baited with honey.
He does not exhaust himself
and risk his life in pursuit.
He baits, then waits-

Authority: (l;ood warriors make
others come to them, and do not
go to others. This is the principle of
emptiness and fullness of others
and self. When you nduce - ppo '
nents to come to you, then their
force is always empty; as long as
you do not go to them, your force
is always full. Attacking emptiness
with fullness is like throwing stones