Chapter 45
True Greatness Looks Ordinary
45.1. Who thinks his great achievements poor
Shall find his vigour long endure.
Of greatest fulness, deemed a void,
Exhaustion ne'er shall stem the tide.
Do thou what's straight still crooked deem;
Thy greatest art still stupid seem,
And eloquence a stammering scream.
2.Constant action overcomes cold; being still overcomes heat. Purity
and stillness give the correct law to all under heaven.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Competence Radar
Think of three people you work with or encounter regularly. For each person, write down whether they tend to showcase their abilities loudly or work quietly, then note their actual track record of getting things done. Look for patterns between presentation style and real competence.
Consider:
- •Don't confuse introversion with incompetence or extroversion with showing off
- •Consider whether cultural background affects how someone displays confidence
- •Think about times when you might have misjudged someone's abilities based on their presentation style
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you either underestimated someone who seemed uncertain, or overestimated someone who appeared very confident. What did you learn from that experience?
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