Cut the Knot !

Sometimes it's hard to take decisions.
However, problems in life can be looked upon as knots.



Just like real problems in life

• the stuck knots are sometimes hard to undo.
• there are a lot of different knot types

Now what can we learn from knots to solve problems in real life?

Stage 1 Analyze
First of all, before undoing (= solving) a knot (= problem), try to analyze it before just starting to pull (= attack) on the knot.
Pulling without analyzing might work, but often makes things worse. So always analyze first.

Stage 2 Work out action plan
Make an action plan and work this out.
Often you can undo knots in more than one way.
In general there are five different forms of (sequential) action plans


Action Plan 1 : Analytical Approach
Think on how the rope got into a knot anyway.
Undo the knot in small steps (don't force) by slightly loosen up the knot (rope) and 'working backwards".
Decide on which end of the rope to start. Sub-analyze after each step and go on

Action Plan 2 : Trial and Error
Without a direct plan, by trial and error, but still with firmness, strength, gentleness and infinite perseverance, loosen up the knot and try to to shake the knot repeatedly.

Action Plan 3 : Make things worse
When analytic approach and trail and error fail, and nothing helps, just take the risk of making things worse. Pull both ends of the rope at the same time in order to find out if the knot undoes itself!
Just like with knots in ropes, our problems often disappear by (the risk of) making them larger.
Even knots that you can undo in this way, may seem stuck at first. Simply loosen up the knot a bit. This diminishes the resistance of the rope. After that just pull.

Action Plan 4: Wait
Do nothing and wait a limited amount of time to see if the circumstances change or you might get other ideas or help.
Often when there's no tension on the knot, it loosens up itself so you can undo it.

Action Plan 5: Cut the knot
When every action plan until now has failed use the method Alexander the Great used by slicing the Gordian Knot with his sword.
So in these cases simply Cut the Knot.
This means that when patience and perseverance have failed, end the problem in a rigorous way.

When all the above methods have failed and you still got this problem, the only way to fight it is to recognize the problem is within yourself.

The famous philosopher Wittgenstein suggested that some problems are in fact knots in our head, often created by asking ourselves the wrong sorts of questions.

Now in the end it all comes down to you. You must decide to


Cut the knot or not

Wetter it is the knot outside or in your head (or both), don't let it drive you nuts.

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Out of Luck

Sometimes when all runs smoothly in life, you suddenly run out of luck. Your usual "count on your blue eyes" approach fails and someone gives you a black eye instead.

In more romantic relationship terms formulated : "you get the mitten" or in plain slang language, you "get sacked on the spot"




But there is no such thing as "running out of Luck" if you're lucky to have a learning attitude.
As a little kid you didn't mind to fall and stand up, why should you now? Just take small steps to limit the downside risk of a deep fall.

Luck A formal definition of luck which is the Yiddish word Mazel With: M = Place, Z = Time and L = Speech. So, luck is being in the right place at the right time and saying the right things. Emanuel Parzen

How is it possible that even if we feel and think something is the 'right thing to do' at the 'right place and moment in time' and speaking the 'right words', Luck doesn't show up?
Now this is were "expectations" are coming in.

Managing the expectations
Generally spoken you can define Luck as receiving more than the sum of what you had invested and expected.

In formula :

L = R - I - E With: L= Luck, R = Results, I = Investments & E = Expectations

Simple conclusions from this formula:

• Simply manage your expectations to zero and you'll feel lucky if your results exceed your investments.
  But this only works if your Results don't depend on you Expectations (e.g. playing in a lottery)


• If the results are solely and partial (p<1) r =" p.E" l =" (p-1).E">
  
• In these cases only if the Results exceed the expectations by far ( P>1; e.g. 'unconditional love') Luck could be at your door. The psychological price (I+E = risk) we have to pay for this approach, has to even out an extremely uncertain large Result (R = p.E).

Reality: Un-Expected Results
This risk of not getting a 'pay off' is enlarged by the fact that our reality is not only created by our own intentions and thoughts.




Our reality is the mixed up result (an echo) of all thoughts and intentions in the universe and contains unexpected Results that exceed our expectations. By recognizing and accepting these unexpected Results and translating them into desirable and therefore acceptable Results ( enlarged R ) we create a positive 'pay off'.

Now from behind your blue eyes, get your first Lucky Strike !

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