Advance and retreat are a natural part of life and success. Sometimes it is better to advance. Other times it is better to retreat. Although retreat has negative connotations, neither advance nor retreat is better than the other is. They are merely the signs of the times. If you ignore the times, reaching your goals becomes harder. But if you are able to flow with the times, you will find that you can use retreat to attain your goals.

Retreat is Not an Act of Cowardice

A well-planned retreat is not an act of cowardice. It takes great awareness and composure to retreat when you realize that a situation is not in your favour. If you have the option of making a retreat, it is better to do so early before you face difficulties. Bravely staying to fight a losing battle is neither wise nor prudent. It just causes you needless problems if you could avoid them in the first place.

Let us say you had a long day at work and you are feeling really tired. If you know your spouse will bring up a matter that causes conflict, it would be better to plan your retreat beforehand. By retreating, you avoid a needless quarrel that can lead to hurt feelings. When you are in a better mood, you can calmly address the issue to each other’s satisfaction.

Retreat is Not Defeat

A well-planned retreat is not an admission of defeat. In fact, it helps you to avoid a defeat so that you have the time to regroup, conserve your strength and stage a comeback. Fighting a losing battle would only lead to humiliation and loss. Once you suffer an actual defeat, it can be very hard to turn things around. But if you retreat before a defeat occurs, you have a higher chance of winning because your resources are still intact.

Let us say you want to ask your boss for a raise. But at the same time, you know the company has not been doing well lately. If you were to bring up the subject now, it is likely to meet with rejection. Worsening matters, this could spoil your chances of getting a future raise. The prudent thing to do is to retreat for the time being until a better opportunity arises. In the meantime, it would be better to find ways and means to show you deserve a raise.

Retreat Serves no Purpose

The purpose of a retreat is to survive with your resources intact. If you live, you can fight another day. But if you suffer a crushing defeat, it can be hard to make a comeback. In the face of overwhelming odds, armies led by wise leaders retreated to avoid a clash that would result in heavy losses or defeat. By getting out of harm’s way, they could secure a victory at a later time and place of their choosing.

You would need to be fully prepared if you were involved in a high stakes negotiation. Without a well thought out plan, it would be hard to make a strong case. In this scenario, it would be better to postpone the meeting, if you could, rather than risk a costly defeat. By doing so, you buy some time to turn things around.

Taking Action

To retreat when the situation calls for it is to be in harmony with the times and circumstances. Retreat is neither good nor bad. How you use retreat determines whether it is good or bad. If you advance when you should retreat, this could lead to disaster. Hence, it is important to view the situation objectively and to retreat when needed. In this way, you avoid problems and achieve your goals.

Visit Han of Harmony to learn how to live life in harmony with your times and circumstances. Learn how to take control of your life through Han of Harmony's consultation services http://hanofharmony.com/.