You Need A Place More In Tune With Your Nature

Do you feel stuck in any part of your life? Do you, for example, believe that the way to get ahead is to work hard, come to the office early and stay late, take the initiative and do projects that aren’t really part of your duties, try to be noticed favorably by your boss and her boss, and constantly study so that you’re always abreast of your field and growing professionally? Recognize that this is a model you hold. It’s not reality, although the odds are good that you think it is. Your model for picking a restaurant may call for asking close friends for a recommendation. They’re not mutually exclusive, and you may well use both of them at some time or other. The funny thing about mental models is that the more you invest in one, the more firmly you believe in whatever model you’re using, the more evidence you get that the universe actually behaves in the way you think it does. The village chief rested for a couple of hours each afternoon, and it was his custom to receive visitors at this time. Any person who wished to settle in the village was required to meet with the chief. The village was a peaceful, tolerant place where inhabitants went out of their way to help each other, and he wanted to keep it that way. One day, he met with a burly individual who wanted to buy a farm and settle down. Tell me, my son, why you wish to come here, he said. Well, said the man, this seems like a prosperous village. The land is fertile, and the climate tolerable.

All The Butterflies Have Broken Wings

The only thing I don’t know is the nature of the people. What are they like? That’s a good question, said the chief. Before I answer, tell me about the people in the village you left. Terrible, said the man without hesitation. They were jealous of me because my crops were lush and took every opportunity to steal from me. I couldn’t trust anyone. They would deceive me and rob me blind were it not for the care I took to be on my guard. My son, said the chief, shaking his head in sorrow, this is not the right place for you to come after the hardship you have endured. The people here are exactly like that. They will take every advantage they can of you and leave you stranded. I hope you haven’t committed to buying the farm you were looking at. If you have, I can use my influence to get your deposit back.

Human Nature

You need a place more in tune with your nature. The man thanked the chief, accepted his offer to help, and left the village the next day. Shortly thereafter, the chief met an older and slightly more impoverished farmer who also was thinking of putting down roots in the village and posed him the same query. What can I say, good sir, exclaimed the man. The village I left was like heaven. No one ever had friendlier neighbors. They outdid each other to be of help to anyone who suffered the slightest misfortune. I would trust them with anything, even my life. Why then did you leave? queried the chief. My land was leased, and the landlord’s son wished to return to the village, so he refused to extend my term, lamented the farmer. I would have bought a smaller farm if I could have, but everyone wants to live there, and the price was more than I could afford. I have splendid news for you, my friend, beamed the chief.

When You Think Things Are Beginning To Look Good

The people in this village are exactly like that. You will find a wonderful home here. I have a good friend who will lease you several acres if I tell him to, and I will make sure that you can buy it on easy terms if you work diligently and prove yourself. That’s pretty much the way it works. The universe reflects back to you what you send out. You look at what comes your way, and this gives you confirmation that what you thought and sent out was the truth. Don’t make the mistake of trying to establish whether your mental models are true or false. At some level, they are all true, and on another level, they are all false. Depending on the predilection with which you start, you’ll find plenty of corroboration for each. It is much better for you to look at whether or not your mental model is working for you. If it seems as if you are swimming through molasses and nothing seems to be going right, then assuredly one or more of your mental models are not serving you well. Always keep your guard up. The best way to prevent people from taking whatever it is they want to take from you is by backhanded meanness. Don’t openly avoid people or let them believe that you’re unkind. Simply pretend, in the shallowest way, to be nice and hope they realize that you don’t like talking to them by your lack of eye contact and unwillingness to laugh at their jokes. Avoid people you don’t like at all costs. Don’t say hi to them, and don’t stay in touch with them. Never truly let people know how much you don’t trust them. Pretend to trust them, but keep your guard up! Everyone is selfish, devious, and unkind by nature. She had good reason to believe that her model was accurate. At least, she thought she had good reason. There was tension in group situations she was a part of, a sort of underground hostility, and despite her physical loveliness, she was often left completely alone. Be kind to everyone. You never know what lies beneath the surface, and most flaws you notice in others are simply further manifestations of your own f laws, so don’t be critical. The best way to find that beauty is through sincere concern and thought.