Well, it’s been a great ride through this book I found in a forgotten stack in a crowded aisle in a Birmingham Alabama bookstore. Here, we finish the last chapter on the Acquisition of Dominating Power.
The Shogun leaves us with advice on who you hang out with due to their influence on you. He says not to hang out with commonplace minds because as we can influence them, they can also influence us by repetition of their inferior thoughts and weaken the quality of our power.
“A forceful man who wants to gain influence will not hang around small caliber minds. He will know how to listen to them, then talk to them, perhaps convince them, but not for a moment will he submit himself to their commonplace thoughts…for having come among them in the spirit of an apostle…he will not allow himself to be affected by things beneath him.”
“So it is with all those who possess power: they maintain themselves only because they create disciples whose devotion serves to consolidate their work.”
“Dominating power is developed by creating a mental current between the master and those whom he is teaching, that wards off opposing currents.”
“Do not rub shoulders with a commonplace mind except with the intention of raising him to your own level, but do not think of entering into mental communion with such…”
Master yourself. Then seek to bring others up without letting them bring you down.
From the editor, “…every line of Yoritmo’s writing is an appeal to energy; an invitation to the practice of the cult of moral beauty, an encouragement to advance toward the better.”
Truth, Courage, Cheerfulness.
-Yoritomo Tashi, Japanese Shogun, 1186 A.D.
Thank you! Very useful
I really enjoyed this, Larry. Distilling timeless principles from an older source in a different culture highlights the universality of its message and core precepts.
Thank you, Larry, for sharing this book with us!
That sounds like Jim Reeds books on 3rd north. One of my grandsons favorite destinations on a rainy day.
(FYI, that’s 8 blocks from my office, so next time swing by and see us, for some southern hospitality and then you can also make it a deductible business trip :>)
Thank you for sharing the ride. Didn’t realize where you found the book.
Thanks Larry, Very enlightening and interesting.
Marsha
Excellent editing work, Larry. Thank you for taking time to share the best of this book in a digestible format. Love this last part: “Seek to bring others up without letting them bring you down.”
Thank you for sharing Yoritomo Tashi ‘s book, Influence, and for
distilling his lessons on self-mastery to help us lead with purpose and honor. His legacy lives on through you and I’m grateful for the lessons you’ve shared.
Great experience. Thank you.
Thanks, it’s been very interesting.
Hi Larry, I really appreciate the thorough messages on the book – it’s fascinating to see such applicable concepts being written over 800 years ago in a vastly different region and culture than our own! Some great Think Dailies from such a serendipitous find in a book shop. Thanks again.