I Ching

Substantial progress and increasing prosperity is exhilirating, as long as you go with the flow while it lasts and keep the interests of others in mind.  Like white water on a river, periods of increase are often of short duration; it furthers one, therefore, to shoot the rapids now, while the opportunity is there.Leadership in times of opportunity involves commitment to the needs of one’s cohorts or dependents.  Only by realizing that to lead is to serve, can a leader fortify his or her position to bring about a lasting increase in prosperity.  In a time of general increase, those who contribute most directly to the common good will achieve the greatest rewards.

When opportunities for increase arise, supreme good fortune comes to those who act swiftly and boldly, while avoiding the trap of letting their actions be merely self-serving.  If you aspire to a position of prominence, the most enduring strategy is to work to raise the tide of your entire community or company, rather than to try to swim upstream on your own.

When the times favor prosperity, and when leadership is in the hands of the broad-minded, supreme good fortune results.

1. When you are the recipient of what seems to be blind luck, realize that luck has found you because you left room in your life for it to enter.  Luck is attracted to selflessness.  When luck does arrive, in the form of new wealth, power or energy, it can best be preserved and strengthened by sharing this bounty with others – particularly by donating some of your time to worthwhile and selfless pursuits.
   A self-absorbed individual, whose entire purpose is the acquisition of wealth or power, soon becomes a prisoner of his own desires.
2. Sudden good fortune is often as disruptive as the reverse.  The surest means of staying on course when good fortune falls into your life is to cultivate a love of the good – to carry a sincere wish to bring your own inner integrity into the outer world.  When you remain true to your inner convictions, good fortune becomes a lasting condition, and small obstacles along the way are easily overcome.
   If you have any instinctive desires to help others at such a time, heed them.  Don’t be afraid to follow your heart whenever it has a desire to do good.
3. Ironically, even miscalculation or seemingly unfortunate events can lead to good fortune in a time of general increase.  This line is reminiscent of a baseball player on a hot streak who is fooled by an inside pitch; he bloops a double to the outfield while falling out of the way.  Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than skillful.  When you are on a roll, it behooves you to step up to the plate.
4. Be careful to maintain a high level of trustworthiness.  Perhaps you are called upon to act as a mediator.  Whatever the circumstance, it’s important that you maintain fairness and a sense of balance.  If you make the benefit of all concerned your highest priority, your advice will be followed and you will be respected.  Whatever you do, do not take advantage of your position when fortune smiles upon you.
5. A kind heart does not make demands or ask for recognition.  Genuine kindness and consideration come naturally and are spontaneous.  Supreme good fortune!
6. This line refers to the position of one who has isolated himself or herself due to either abuse of power or insensitivity to the needs of others, particularly those in lower positions.  Becoming greedy or power-hungry often causes one to lose touch with the times, because a broad vision is needed to observe what is coming up on the horizon.  The easiest way to lose good luck is to abuse it.