Verse 81

True words aren't beautiful;
beautiful words aren't true.
Good men do not argue;
those who argue are not good.
Wise men don't need to prove their point;
those who need to prove their point aren't wise.

The Master has no possessions.
The more he does for others,
the happier he is.
The more he gives to others,
the wealthier he is.

The Tao nourishes by not forcing.
By not dominating, the Master leads.

[For Personal Development]

• Be your authentic self- be your own kind of beautiful.
• Let go of resistance. Return to your true nature: no arguments, no should's, no have-to's.
• The truth is simple.
• Keeping up with the Joneses does not make you happy. Less is more.
• The universe operates through dynamic exchange. In our willingness to give that which we seek, we keep the abundance of the universe circulating in our lives (“The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success” by Deepak Chopra)

[For Coaching]

• A coach speaks the truth on the client’s behalf. True words may not be beautiful, but that’s what the client is hiring a coach for.
• A message may or may not land well with the client. Detach from the outcome and the client will “get it” when he/she is ready.
• Be fully present with the client. Forcing in the coach’s agenda is not a sustainable way to move the client forward.
• Who we are as coaches challenges our coaches and leads them to greater awareness.

Verse 65

The ancient Masters
didn't try to educate the people,
but kindly taught them to not-know.

When they think that they know the answers,
people are difficult to guide.
When they know that they don't know,
people can find their own way.

If you want to learn how to govern,
avoid being clever or rich.
The simplest pattern is the clearest.
Content with an ordinary life,
you can show all people the way
back to their own true nature.

[For Personal development]

• A fundamental principle of the universe is uncertainty; thinking you know separates you from the Tao.
• Opening to not knowing expands the possibilities to the unknown; often that’s outside our comfort zone.
• Keeping it simple makes life easier.

[For Coaching]

• Thinking we know the answers disconnects us from ourselves and our clients.
• Trust the coaching process; the clients will find their own answers.
• We coach around the “who” and show clients the way back to their own true nature, not just the "what" which is about being clever or rich.
• We are role models for our clients – embracing who we are helps our clients give themselves permission to do the same.

Verse 45

The greatest perfection seems imperfect,
and yet its use is inexhaustible.
The greatest fullness seems empty,
and yet its use is endless.

Great straightness looks crooked.
Great skill appears clumsy.
Great eloquence sounds like stammering.

Tranquility overcomes commotion,
coolness overcomes hotness.
Coolness and tranquility are the real essence of the world.

[For Personal Development]

• Love the imperfect. You can live to your full potential when there is room to grow. It’s perfect simply because it is not 100% accomplished.
• Being useless can be useful: a crooked tree can survive thousands year because no carpenter would take it down to make furniture.
• Being perfect can be useless: the most expensive china is always sitting in the cabinet and not in use.
• Even the most accomplished person in the world, he/she still has shortcomings, which do not overshadow his/her accomplishments.

[For Coaching]

• Go beyond the surface; there is always a lesson in every imperfection.
• The best coaching occurs when the coach is willing to be vulnerable and “imperfect”.
• True perfection of a person shows up internally (“who”), not externally (“what”).
• Coolness and tranquility helps the coach to center himself/herself and be able see client’s situations clearly.