Let me tell you, the most powerful thing in this world is not money, but a counterintuitive psychology called reverse thinking. Those who master reverse thinking often reap unexpected rewards. If you can grasp it, it will allow you to see through the essence of all things and understand the hidden codes of thought behind all the experts. The first example is called “Two Peaches Kill Three Officers,” which is a very typical case. It’s about making someone jump into a trap even though they know it’s a pitfall. What does it mean? For instance, if you have three subordinates ganging up against you, three against one, you can set only two spots for bonuses and honors, making them compete against each other. Their alliance will naturally be broken. In the face of interests, only two things remain: suspicion and infighting. Their friendship will become fragile. So, conventional thinking is to punish those who disobey, while reverse thinking is to reward some and let them balance each other. That’s the first point. The second example is called “Emergency Repair.” A woman went to an ATM to deposit money at night, but the machine broke down. Her card was swallowed along with 50,000 yuan. When she contacted the bank, she was told to wait until the next day. Then she had a sudden idea and called customer service, saying that the ATM had dispensed an extra 6,000 yuan. Within minutes, the repair personnel arrived. So, conventional thinking is how can I get my money back, right? But reverse thinking is that the other party will worry about suffering losses. Let’s all ponder on that. The third example is about a wife who wanted to change her husband’s habit of coming home late every night. She set a rule that she would lock the door after 11 p.m. and not let him in. It might be effective for the first week, but by the second and third week, her husband’s habit returned. When the wife locked the door, her husband simply decided not to come home. The wife was frustrated and wondered if she had set the wrong rule. Then she had a sudden idea and revised the rule with her husband: if he didn’t come home before 11 p.m., she would sleep with the door open. Her husband was terrified and made sure to be home before 11 p.m. from then on. So, conventional thinking is what I fear, while reverse thinking is what the other party fears, right? Let’s not judge the pros and cons for now, okay? There is such a way of thinking. For example, a driver accidentally drove his front wheel into a ditch and called for a tow truck. The tow truck company demanded 1,000 yuan, but the driver refused. Instead, he ordered ten takeout meals. Twenty minutes later, ten delivery drivers arrived, and the driver asked for their help. Together, they lifted the car out. The driver treated them to a meal and gave them five-star reviews. When they left, they thanked him profusely. So, if one’s cognition is opened up, I tell you, your thinking will be completely opened up. You can see a more transparent and real world. Another example is a lady who had her phone stolen while shopping in a supermarket. She was very anxious and sought help from the staff. After understanding the situation, the staff member sent a text message to the stolen phone. The message said, “Sis, I just arrived at the supermarket, but I can’t find you. I have to leave first. The 5,000 yuan in cash you wanted is in the supermarket’s storage locker, and the password is 666.” Soon, the thief was caught. So, conventional thinking is to get the money back, but reverse thinking is to consider what the thief wants. Let’s talk about one more example. Zhang, who runs a chicken farm by the river, had a terrible business. His wife came up with an idea. They put up a sign by the river that read, “New Fish Pond Opened, Fishing Fee 100 Yuan. Those who don’t catch any fish will receive a chicken and five eggs.” Many people went, and when they returned, each person was carrying a chicken, feeling delighted even though they didn’t catch any fish. After a while, the fish pond closed, and the gatekeeper said, “The owner was originally a professional chicken farmer, not a fish farmer. There weren’t many fish in the pond to begin with.” So, conventional thinking is how do I sell the chickens, right? But reverse thinking is that even if they don’t catch any fish, I give them a chicken, and everyone is happy. What truly limits our lives is not economic poverty, but cognitive confinement. Isn’t it? What confines you is not the world, but your thinking. Sometimes, many miracles in life really come from such reverse thinking.
