At the end of the day, people compete not on talent, skills, or knowledge, but on who is more ruthless.

A flexible person is hard-pressed to be disciplined, while a disciplined person tends to become stubborn. But if you truly want to move forward, you need both flexibility and self-discipline.

These seemingly contradictory qualities must coexist in the same person, just like walking on a tightrope—arms outstretched helps you balance. Remove one arm, and the longer you stretch the other, the more likely you are to fall.

Ruthlessness and kindness are two ends of the same balancing scale. The ruthless often lack charm and charisma; the overly kind are easy to trick, exploit, or find exploited by opponents. Strike that balance—ruthless yet kind—and you’ve got it.