Never hate your enemy. It clouds your judgment. Michael Corleone
The strategy of making your enemy angry in order to cause him to act irrationally and make mistakes is as old as time itself. This is a strategy which has been used throughout history to gain an advantage in both times of war and in personal conflicts, and it works for a specific reason.
Strong emotions, especially emotions such as hate and anger, cloud your mind, interfere with your rational judgment, and cause you to act irrationally and make mistakes. When someone is acting on pure emotion, anger, and hatred, you can count on them making a mistake sooner or later.
And, if you allow yourself to take the bait, lose control, and act on rage or emotion, your enemy will have a distinct advantage in the situation. If he is smart, he will take advantage of your mistake and defeat you, or at the very least, cause you problems that could have been avoided.
Never hate your enemy. Never allow your enemy to push your buttons or to get under your skin. You must learn to stay calm and controlled in every situation, no matter how stressed you may be. Never allow anyone to control your mind or to "make" you angry. Control your emotions; don't let your emotions control you! No one can make you angry unless you allow them to do so.
Clouded judgment can lead to defeat. When someone is actively trying to push your buttons, see it as a hostile or malicious strategy and ask yourself, "What is this person's strategy? What is his purpose in acting this way? Why is he trying to make me angry?" Always look for the ulterior motive!
Maintaining a calm, rational state is always the safest course of action. Even if you must release your anger on someone, do it purposely, not emotionally. Make that decision rationally, then act on it. Never act compulsively.
It is the way of the warrior.
