“One of the most expensive and disastrous mistakes a young man ever makes is in supposing that a decision, a resolution, contains in itself the means of working its own execution, and that something besides power will suffice to overcome power. I am not moralizing at all, but simply handling one or two of the facts of personal life in the same blunt way in which I would talk about the working of a water-wheel or of a steam-engine. The art of living is not a matter of resolution, but it is a genius for playing off successfully favorable energies against those which are adverse, meeting energies with energies, only with energies that are a little bigger, very much as the engineer beats the gravity of the train by the push at the piston. So that the man who is anxious not to be taken off his feet must make it an important part of his equipment to get in the range of opposite forces that will hold him erect and keep him in safe water.” – Charles H. Parkhurst
To Parkurst’s excellent suggestion that: “The art of living…is a genius for playing off successfully favorable energies against those which are adverse, meeting energies with energies, only with energies that are a little bigger…” I would add only: “…or with more subtle energies that are artfully applied.” One-upmanship is one method for overcoming obstacles, but I suggest that there is more often than not a more efficient way of opposing the destructive forces at work in the world and in man.
The negative energies you face in life can all be overcome if you know how to approach them. To meet the obstacles which stand in your way correctly, you must first and foremost be still and relinquish all fear of them. Breathe out and relax as you meet them in the center of the ring before the opening bell rather than breathing in and tensing up. Standing in awe of or being intimidated by your opponents never helps; such an approach only deepens your sense of subjection to them.
Even if you have resolved to overcome, you still need to determine the means. The most common approach is to conquer by means of superior force, but to do so requires a large amount of energy and carries a greater degree of relative risk. Examine first the subtler solutions, the approaches which require the least amount of force to achieve the desired result.
If your first resort is “max power”, you’ll likely win the battles in the short term, but lose the war in the long from exhaustion, if not something else. If, however, you cultivate in yourself a more reasoned approach, one that doesn’t propel you from pillar to post by virtual of unchecked emotional reaction, you’ll find that there are typically a number of viable solutions to the challenges you face. You’ll also find that a proactive approach that is not colored red by anger, green by envy or black by judgement will afford you the ability to discern which option will require the least amount of energy to get the job done.
Gregory Hake 
Thanks for articulating the inherent truth in meeting issues that come along in our lives.
Stillness, breathing out, openness to discern the subtler solutions are such keys. Here is innate intelligence at work.
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Great advice thank you!
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This is a welcome analysis of a universal paradox. In most instances we are seemingly over topped from the start. Understanding how force and pressure works and where it originates changes your life from there on. As I age I appreciate that my power doesn’t have to be diminished in fact it becomes stronger. The more subtle forces you describe are readily available when my heart and my mind are not afraid, discouraged or taking me out of the flow of the present. Another color to stay away from is blue; living in the past, smothered in regret, wishing things were different. We are a part of the universal dynamic that distributes power on Earth, if we are in place.
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Such a great piece of instruction! I was just having this conversation last night with a friend. We had acknowledged that making life decisions during a time of emotional highs or lows is never a good idea, and decisions made out of fear rarely work in a positive direction. It is so important to understand and practice what you have outlined here, as so many great ideas and powerful leaders are burned out before their dreams come
to reality. I look forward to consciously practicing the art of being still, yet accomplishing what I have come here to do!
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Nature does seem to reward efficiency with longevity. The longer that one’s dedication and discipline to some goal can be spread out and sustained, the more that can be created or achieved. I’ve noticed too that it’s the proper balance between power and endurance that defines success in many areas of our lives. This is also why momentum is such an invaluable tool for progress, as long as it’s moving you upward in life’s natural ascent; less energy is required to keep you humming along than when you started, especially if you started from a different vector!
How further beautiful and elegant it is to have that momentum not be squandered by succeeding generations who have respected the value of life’s true principles. If we are thinking beyond ourselves, our thoughts must go to all the people young and old alike who are in our lives and certainly those with whom we work, as here is where the chance is given to achieve something truly fantastic.
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Excellent points! I realize that I have been learning many of these principles in my martial arts training but there is a whole range of application beyond the physical that I can also apply them. I look forward to expanding that application!
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