Awaiting Leverage

I

We may open a jar forcibly with pressure.
Or, gently with leverage.

One may cause injury.
The other delight.

II

Force is primal.
Leverage is mature.

Force backfires.
Leverage is a force multiplier.

Force is one-dimensional.
Leverage is multi-dimensional.

III

When we approach a challenge directly or “head on,” we encounter resistance equal to the force we apply. 1

On the other hand, when we approach a challenge patiently awaiting the revelation of leverage, resistance is reduced, even absent. The challenge timely unfolds before us, offering its gift.

—

1. Newton’s Third Law of Motion (for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction).

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