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Retreat

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33: Retreat

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35: Easy Progress

34: Great Vigor

Congratulations! There is strength and vigor in this situation, like that of a ram that knocks down a fence to free himself from captivity. This points to a time when a strong force comes into its own and asserts its power.

When a leader comes into a position of power, his or her personal strength has usually already peaked. Though great stamina was required in climbing to the top of the mountain, once at the summit, the support of others is needed to maintain position. Therefore, a shift in attitude becomes necessary to persevere in what is right and just. Let your strength be tempered by wisdom. To maintain power, the strong leader learns to share it with others, for only then will his or her position be secure. A strong leader will not only be the possessor of power but a source of it.

If you find yourself in an influential position, it is important to act responsibly and react with care. Power must not be allowed to degenerate into raw force that rides roughshod over everything in its path. A strong sense of responsibility for the collective good is the key to the successful exercise of power. By following what we intuitively know to be for the greater good, we avoid reckless abuses, which in the end, only undermine the source of our strength. Arrogance contains the seeds of its own undoing.

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