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The Law of Retaliation
by Dr. Napoleon Hill

Every person with whom you come in contact is a mental mirror in which you may see a perfect reflection of your own mental attitude. I recently had an experience with my two small boys, Blair and James, which illustrated this point.

We were on our way to the park to feed the birds and squirrels. Blair had bought a bag of peanuts and James had popcorn. James took a notion to sample the peanuts. Without asking permission, he reached over and made a grab for the bag. He missed and Blair retaliated with a left jab.

I said to James: “Now, see here, son, you didn’t go about getting those peanuts in the right manner. Let me show you how to get them.” When I spoke, I hadn’t the slightest idea what I was going to do, I only hoped that stalling would allow me time to analyze the occurrence and work out a better way than his.

Then I recalled the law of retaliation that says people will always respond in kind, even in greater measure that which is deliver to them, so I said to James: “Open you box of popcorn and offer your little brother some and see what happens.”

After considerable coaxing, I persuaded him to do this. Then a remarkable thing happened, out of which I learned my greatest lesson in salesmanship. Before Blair would touch the popcorn, he insisted on pouring some of his peanuts in James’s overcoat pocket. He retaliated in kind!

Out of this simple experiment with two small boys, I learned more about the art of managing than I could have learned in any other manner. None of us have advanced far beyond Blair and James as far as the operation and influence of the Law of Retaliation is concerned. We are all just grown-up children and easily influenced by this principle.

The habit of “retaliating in kind” is so universally practiced that we can properly call this habit the Law of Retaliation. If a person presents us with a gift, we never feel satisfied until we have “retaliated” with something as good or better than that which we received. If a person speaks well of us, we increase our admiration for that person, and we “retaliate” in return!

Through the principle of retaliation, we can actually convert our enemies into loyal friends. If you have an enemy whom you wish to convert into a friend, you can prove the truth of this statement if you will forget that dangerous millstone handing around your neck which we call pride.

Make a habit of speaking to this enemy with unusual cordiality. Go out of your way to favor him in every manner possible. He may seem immovable at first, but gradually he will give way to your influence and “retaliate in kind!”

The hottest coals of fire ever heaped upon the head of one who has wronged you are the coals of human kindness.


Source: Source: The following is adapted from the March 1919 issue of Napoleon Hill’s Golden Rule magazine. Printed in the above version March, 1994, Volume 6, Number 3, Page 4 in the Think and Grow Rich Newsletter.

MORE HOT ROMANCE

Tonight we watched Even Almighty for date night--we neither one wanted to go out. Cute movie--TV Guardian did bleep out a few words but not much. I told Phil I wanted to sit on the couch with him while we watched. I forgot.

I made popcorn with browned butter--mine with nutritional yeast--his with just salt--see my cookbook for the popcorn info. We ate and watched and laughed. Then I remembered I wanted to sit close to him, not in our recliners--which I am sure belong in "the home"--when did we succumb to recliners, I wonder. I put my hand on his arm rest. He put his hand over mine, squeezed a bit and we settled in to watch the rest of the movie. This is nice, I thought.

Soon the top of my hand got sweaty. Then it started to itch. What to do? What to do?

I very slyly pulled my hand away, scratched the top of it, pulled the sleeve of my sweater down over it and put my hand back. Phil's hand settled over mine.

"What's this?" he said, picking up the sleeve of my sweater.

"My hand got sweaty. Then it itched."

He sighed, put his hand back over my seater'd one and that was that. So much for romance in the family room.

Which reminds me of earlier today. We had gone to run errands. I went into the craft store. He sat in the car. He hates craft stores. He hates fabric stores. I hate hardware stores. I think we're even.

When I came out I stowed my purchases in the back seat and when I got in front he leaned over and said, "Give me a kiss." He had a little smile on his face. I was immediately suspicious.

"Why?"

"Just do it. Give me a kiss."

I kissed him on the cheek.

"Give me a real kiss, on the lips."

I couldn't' bring myself to do it. I thought he was "up to something."

I badgered him and finally he sighed and said, "I've been watching all the people coming out of the craft store. They didn't look very good. They looked sad. Then you came out and I was so happy that you were my wife and now you won't even give me a kiss."

I missed my chance for a tender moment. So much for romance in the parking lot.