The Sorcerer (III)

The degree of influence over collective beliefs is directly proportional to the rigor with which the leader interprets the stages of their own role.

The Count of Monte Cristo distracted his enemies' attention with much skillfulness from the essential. He saw that they didn't feel any disaster, that they have no premonition on the perdition that was upon them. He grew fear and uncertainty in their souls, he distracted them by playing with their power of judgment, handling them like toys. By putting traps and temptations in their way, he succeeded in inoculating distrust and doubt, fear penetrating deep into their souls.

The sorcerer had powers that nobody else had, that nobody could imagine. He wove a veil behind which he carefully hid all his movements. He hid behind a curtain from behind which he could observe his enemies' movements, he armed himself with crushing proofs against them, proofs they didn't thought they could be discovered, building a strategy to amplify their panic and totally disarm them.

Can you open a new perspective on the foundation of your power of intercession before God, at the boundary between what is true and what is not?

Almost 20 years ago, his enemies, who had plotted against him and had sent him unjustly to jail, had been very tight in their endeavors. But now, everyone had gone his own way. This is one of the evildoers' weaknesses - after they do something, they break up. And when their roads lead to dead ends, they begin to feel that everything is due to providence.

Here is the hand of God ! With the same strong idea in his mind, the sorcerer played with them just like the autumn wind plays with the dead leaves. He divided the for good, definitely, and they all bended freely. If they had united their forces, they could have kept him away, even test his unshaken power, his apparent immortality. But they didn't understand the powers they were up to. Wherever they were, they felt the fearful presence of destiny.

They felt a weakness inside them, they felt like being haunted by some strange unnatural, unwanted urges. They started losing control over their judgments and over their reasons. They felt like drowning in their own incapability. Affected by the nightmare they were going through, they tried to find out who was behind all the mysterious happenings which were attributable to some bat spirits. But things were far beyond their powers of reasoning. Technically, they were fighting an invisible opponent. Cause how can you defend yourself against the severe hand of God?

Can you collapse the distance between yourself and an immense power, revealing that your status is not a real barrier, but a fragile convention?

In order to be triumphant in a battle, you must discover your enemy's weakness and strike him exactly in his weak points, but without letting yourself exposed to any risks. Just like the famous Pope Pio the VI-th (count Braschi), the Count of Monte Cristo hid his hatred against his enemies in order to defend himself against their forces. For fear that, looking deep inside his soul, they could feel the danger awaiting them. In any way, the count behaved so calmly and naturally, as if nothing unusual had happened, as if it hadn't been him behind everything.

It was easy for the sorcerer to channel his powers towards each of his enemies, because he succeeded in weakening their vigilance. He saw to determine them to make unwanted mistakes. They all found themselves in a cobweb of events which they could not interpret because their modest knowledge and ability to understand were blocked by the rapidity of the events, as well as by the conviction that the refutable facts of the past were deeply buried. Practically, all their convictions were turned at 180 degrees.

Can you trigger an interruption at a small value of the distance from an immense power, showing that you can overcome the differences in status among people?

The Count of Monte Cristo made use of all the force he had in order to hide both his identity, as well as his aims, arming himself with crushing evidence against his enemies. He was consequent and cunning enough in his attempt to penetrate their minds. The complexity of his game often went far beyond their ability to understand it. Their thoughts were confuse and contradicting, as if they were attacked by occult forces – they had no power upon them. Moreover, they should have stick together, as one body, just like when they plotted against him, but they lacked their power and determination to be together, which made their division much easier.

The only way to defeat a man carked by the fierce thought of revenge or, at least, alleviate his hatred, is to confront him with a lot of courage and a good heart. His enemies could have annihilated his sweet feeling of revenge or even hurt him with his own magic, if they had truly repented. But the sorcerer acted quickly, attacking them fiercely and annihilating their ability to defend or to retaliate.

How big is your influence over the beliefs of others? What is the binder that unites or separates you of them? What are the qualities that make up your character? Can you put them in value? Are you counting on them? Do you know to get use of them in order to convince others to follow you? How can be measured your influence? Do you manifest a consistent and deepened preoccupation for each of the crucial stages of interpreting your own role?

Leadership is directly linked to the stance you adopt throughout events, from which emerges the meaning of a grand-scale work called Providence.

Conclusion: In leadership, you always need a tactic, which, on one hand, consists in surrounding yourself with loyal, trustworthy people, which will support you in your endeavors, and, on the other hand, you have to annihilate your opponents, by discovering and attacking their weak points. But you must always use real proofs and arguments in order to secure your advantages in front of them. The more the tactics are better laid out, the more solid your proofs and arguments, the easier your road to victory will be.

Also worthy to notice is the way of action (to ensure that "veil of protection"), which must be the legal one, because without being the hand of providence, "the sins of the past" will always get out and make you fail quickly.

* Note: Alexandre, Dumas - The Count of Monte Cristo, Youth Publishing House, 1957.