“For every force, there is a counter force. For every negative there is a positive. For every action there is a reaction. For every cause there is an effect.” Grace Speare

Zig Ziglar provides us with a good example in the following story: Mr. B was not satisfied with the way things were going in his company, so he called a meeting and announced, “We have to get organized. I’ve noticed that some of you come to work late and some of you leave early. Some of you do not even accept full responsibility of your jobs. As President of the company I am going to do something about it. From now on, I will be here early, I will stay late. In everything I do, I intend to be an example and you’ll be expected to follow it. We have a great company with a positive future if everyone will simply do there best.”

Mr. B’s intentions were good, but a few days later he became engrossed in a conversation during a luncheon and forgot about the time. When he finally realized that he would be late getting back to the office, he made a mad dash for the parking lot, jumped into his car and sped off. As he was traveling down the freeway at about 90 miles per hour, he was pulled over by the highway patrol and given a tongue lashing along with a rather expensive ticket.

Mr. B was furious. Muttering to himself, he said, “Here I am a peaceful, tax-paying, law-abiding citizen, minding my own business, when this guy comes along and give me a ticket, when he should be out looking for the criminals. This just isn’t fair, just because I was going a little fast doesn’t mean I was reckless. This is ridiculous.”

Averting attention from the fact that he was late, Mr. B called his sales manager in, when he got back to the office, for a conference. Angrily, he asked if the Armstrong sale had been finalized. The sales manager reluctantly replied, “Mr. B, I don’t know what happened but we lost the sale.” Now, if you think Mr. B was upset before, you should have seen him now. He hit the ceiling as he read the “riot act” to the sales manager. “You know, I’ve had you on the payroll for eighteen years, during that time, I’ve depended on you to produce business. Now, at last, we have am opportunity to make the big deal that would have enabled us to expand out product line, and what do you do? You blow it. Well, you are either going to replace that business, or I’m going to replace you. Just because you have been here fro eighteen years doesn’t; mean you have a lifetime contract.” Oh boy, he was really upset.

But, if you think Mr. B was upset, you should have seen his sales manager. He charged out of the office muttering under his breath. “This is really something. For 18 years I’ve given this company 100% of effort. I’m the one responsible for the success and growth of the company because I’m the one who creates all of the new business. I’m the one who holds this company together and keeps it functioning. Mr. B is just a figurehead. This company would go down the tube in nothing flat if it weren’t for me. Now just because I miss one sale, he threatens to fire me. This just isn’t right.”

Still muttering to himself, he calls his secretary in and demands, “Did you finish those five letters I gave you this morning?” She said, “No, don’t you remember, you told me the Hillard account took precedence over everything else? That’s what I have been doing.” The sales manager exploded. “Don’t give me any lousy excuses. I told you I wanted those letters out, and if you can’t get them out, I’ll get someone who can. Just because you have been here for seven years doesn’t mean you have a lifetime contract. I want those letters mail today.” Oh, was he ever upset.

But if you think he was upset, you should have seen the secretary. She blew her stack as she stomped out of the sale manager’s office mumbling to herself. “How about that? For seven years I’ve give this job my very best. Hundreds of hours of overtime work and never a dime in overtime pay. I do more work than any three people around here. As a matter of fact, I’m really the one who keeps this company together. Now, just because I can’t do two things at the same time, he threatens to fire me. This just isn’t right. Besides, with all the things I know about him, who does he think he’s kidding?”

The secretary then walked out to the receptionist and said, “I have some letters I want you to type. Now, I know that ordinarily this isn’t your job, but you don’t do anything anyway except sit here and occasionally answer the telephone. Besides, this is an emergency and I want these letters mailed today. If you can’t get them, let me know and I’ll get somebody who can.” Oh the secretary was upset and she let everyone know it.

But if you think the secretary was upset, you should have seen the receptionist. She just about hit the ceiling. “This is really something,” she said, “Here I am, the hardest working member of the staff and the lowest paid. I have to do four things at once and they don’t do a thing in the back but drink coffee, gossip and talk on the telephone. Every time they get behind they call on me to bail them out. It just isn’t fair. This garbage about replacing me is really a joke because I’m the only one who has any idea about what is going on around here. If it hadn’t been for me the company would have gone down the tube long ago. Not only that, but they know that they couldn’t find anyone to do my work at twice my salary.” She got the letters out, but she was really burning as she did.

When the receptionist got home, she was still fuming. She walked into the house, slammed the door and proceeded into the den. The first thing she saw was her 12-year-old son lying on the floor watching television. The second thing she saw was a big rip across the seat of his pants. Angrily she cried, “Son how many times have I told you to put on your play clothes when you come home from school? I have a hard enough time as it is supporting you, sending you through school and running this entire household. Now, you go upstairs right now. There’s going to be no dinner for you tonight and no television for the next three weeks.” Oh, she was upset.

But if you think she was upset, you should have seen her 12-year-old son. He stomped out of the den saying, “This isn’t fair. I was doing something for mother, but she didn’t even give me a chance to explain what happened. It was an accident, and could have happened to anybody.”

About that time the family cat walked in front of him, which proved to be a mistake. The boy kicks with his foot, catching the cat and sends it flying out into another room as he says, “You get out of here! You’ve probably up to no good yourself.”

Zig Ziglar points out that the cat was the only principle involved in the series of events that could not have altered the events. He concludes the story with this one simple question, “Wouldn’t it have been much better if Mr. B had just gone directly from the luncheon to the receptionist’s house and kicked that cat for himself?

Maybe a far more important question is, “Whose cat have you been kicking?”