Manipulate Your Enemies To Serve Your Benefit

View people you are likely to quarrel with as your partners in personal growth. They are likely to make you more aware of your vulnerabilities, limitations, and mistakes. Don’t let this get you down. Rather, let it serve as your coach. You now have more awareness of what you need to strengthen, fix, and keep on developing. ~ Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

What if we could change the way we look at our enemies? What if instead of hindering our progress they are assisting us in our personal development? In our world of endless possibilities where we control our thoughts this is not so far fetched at all.

As we look at life, we are making assumptions and interpretations, and organizing thoughts and experiences to coincide with our beliefs. In order to experience the benefits Rabbi Pliskin’s paradigm has to offer we must follow a simple 2 steps process. 1) Understand it. 2) Use it.

Whenever we experience a negative feeling that we think is brought on by another person we have the amazing opportunity to find out why we feel this way. Introspection allows us to learn about ourselves and grow. In the presence of other people, especially those that push us out of our comfort zone, we tend to grow much quicker.

How do you deal with ‘the enemy’?

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Photo by JoF

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http://cheerfulmonk.com Cheerful Monk

I agree with using difficult situations as learning experiences, but why look upon the other person as an “enemy”? It seems to me if you’re thinking in terms of enemies and manipulation you’re not operating from an attitude of respect. I talk about a tricky situation my husband and I turned into a win-win solution in 2007–A Year of Adventure. It was one of the highlights of my year.
http://www.alexshalman.com Alex Shalman

I agree with you, it’s all about how you view it. I personally do not view the other person as an enemy, I view them as my assistant (if not partner) in my personal development. Using the word “enemy” here was meant as more of a trigger word to keep people reading.
Gredin Ashcroft

I think ‘enemy’ can apply here to certain people. If you’re not being respected in the workplace, for example… I think viewing the person as an ‘enemy’ is perfectly fine. I think the word ‘enemy’ can hold different meanings.

To answer the question… I’ve tried avoiding my enemy like the plague. I know, it’s not effective, but this approach has got me thinking.

G.
http://www.alexshalman.com Alex Shalman

Gredin, you say I got you thinking… I think that’s awesome. That’s the most I could have hoped to do. Thank you for stopping by.