How To Compete Like a Taoist | Tao Te Ching Chapter 68 Explained

The best warriors do not use violence. The best generals do not destroy indiscriminately. The best tacticians try to avoid confrontation. The best leaders become servants of their people. This is called the virtue of non-competition. This is called the power to manage others. This is called attaining harmony with the heavens. In this chapter, Lao Tzu lays out various occupations and describes what constitutes All of these examples he makes mention of reinforce the common theme of moderation, self-control, and lack of ego. Basically, to me, the idea at play here is that we should cultivate ourselves not to rely on the affirmation that comes from beating others at what we do. Soldiers, generals, tacticians, these are all occupations that are competitive by nature. A soldier cannot be a soldier if there is never anybody to fight. Lao Tzu recognizes that some battles are inevitable. There are times when competition becomes necessary. What he seems to be concerned with here is how we conduct ourselves when these competitions take place. How do we respond when we win? How do we respond when we lose? Are we pompous, arrogant, or vainglorious? Do we demonize or ridicule the people we compete against? Or do we recognize and respect their humanity even as we compete against them? Do we seek out engagements to gratify our egos? Or do we try to accomplish what needs to be done without causing harm to others whenever possible? So many of these principles operate on seeming paradoxes. A good tactician can plan a victorious battle, but a great one can sometimes win while avoiding a battle altogether. A good leader can successfully lead the people, but a great leader sees him or herself as their servant. For those of us who aren't soldiers or tacticians, these analogies still apply to us. We should monitor ourselves carefully, taking care lest we do the things we do to satisfy some ulterior motive for self-gratification. If you have any thoughts on this chapter, I would love to hear them in the discord. Just click on the link in the description of the video and it will take you right there. And as always, thanks for watching, and I will see you all next time for chapter 69. Peace and blessings.