He has to know how to act at any given time. Most people come to grief due to the wrong notion that they can succeed by asserting themselves. The truth is just the opposite. The false idea that self-assertion can bring success is based on the ignorance of the fact that there are also others in this world who can equally assert themselves and stand against the assertion from any particular individual or centre of action. No one has ever succeeded in life, who confronted the others in the world with his ego.
All egoism is met with an equally strong egoism from outside.
To take always one s own standpoint, whether in an action, an argument or even in feeling, is to court opposition , while the law of life is cooperation . Self-assertion, thus, is contrary to Nature s laws and shall stand defeated in the end. All egoistic action, whether in mind, speech or body, evokes a similar action from other centres of force in the world and to live in such a condition is fitly called Samsara , and experience in which perpetually warring elements react against one another and bring about restlessness and pain. The remedy against Samsara is the art of appreciation of the existence and feelings of others who also demand an equal recognition in the scheme of creation. Whenever you say or do anything, start it from the standpoint of the other who is in front of you, listens to you or is concerned with what you do.