The King was anxious.
The existence of the astrologer, who could clearly see through his future, was always a thorn in his side. "If he is a hindrance to my power, I will simply eliminate him."
The King decided to signal the ambushing soldiers and, as if testing the astrologer one last time, asked:
"You say you are good at predicting the fate of others? Then, what about your own fate? When do you think you will die?"
A murderous aura was already swirling in the air. However, the astrologer did not panic. He stared straight into the King's eyes and answered calmly.
"Your Majesty, according to my astrology, I am destined to pass away exactly three days before Your Majesty passes away."
The moment this single sentence fell, a massive wave surged within the King's mind. The plan to kill the astrologer just moments ago vanished in an instant. Now, the astrologer's life was directly linked to his own. Far from killing him, the King begged him to live a long life, assigned him the finest physician, and cared for him with all kinds of treasures. In the end, the astrologer outlived the King. He did not predict the future; rather, he designed an environment where the other party had no choice but to protect him. The technique the astrologer used was not prophecy. It was the "ability to bind the other party's interests and my own existence together." In modern society, especially within Korean workplace culture, we are constantly plagued by anxiety.
It is the fear of "Will the company function without me?" or "Could my position be replaced at any time?"
However, if we borrow the wisdom of an astrologer, the answer becomes clear.
If the risk the other party (the company or organization) would have to bear if I were gone is too great, my value skyrockets.
This is not about threatening the other party. It means building areas that only I can solve and unique insights that only I possess to become a 'community of shared destiny'.
Competition is fiercer and change is faster in South Korea than in any other country. What 'K-office workers' need is not merely the 'diligence' of working hard.
Now, 'strategic sincerity' is needed.
The reason the king protected the astrologer was not because he was smart, but because he believed his own life would be in danger without him. If we apply this to our lives, we can ask ourselves the following three questions: "Is there a process among the tasks I am performing today that only I know?" "Among the tasks I am doing today, am I the first name that comes to mind when my colleagues encounter difficulties?" "Can my opinion be excluded from the process of solving the company's core problems?" If you can answer these questions affirmatively, you are already walking the path of a modern-day astrologer. Self-development is not merely the act of building up credentials. It is a process of increasing the value of 'dependence' that makes others need me.
Was the astrologer's prophecy false? Actually, that does not matter.
What matters is that he exactly dug into the other person's most itchy spot (or fearful spot).
We often say that "companies are cold." However, if you think about it the other way, companies are warmer and more generous than anything else to those who are beneficial to them.
If your skills and know-how are directly linked to the company's revenue, or if your departure is decisive enough to cause the team's collapse, you are no different from the astrologers protected by the king's physicians.
Continuous Self-Renewal: Just as astrologers study the orbits of the stars, we too must read the flow of the market.
Utilizing Psychological Leverage:You must develop the ability to translate and convey your value in the other person's language.
Irreplaceable Attitude:Skills are fundamental, but an 'attitude' that makes others want to work with you also becomes a powerful weapon.
The astrologer did not tremble before the king's blade. Instead, he turned that blade into a shield to protect himself.
This was not a cowardly survival tactic, but the ultimate wisdom to prove one's worth.
How significant is your presence where you are right now? Are you perhaps doing what anyone can do, merely waiting for someone's orders?
Now is the time to prepare your own astrology. The moment you prove why the world cannot do without you, it will do everything in its power to protect you instead of trying to harm you.
I hope your expertise and insight become the 'salvation' that is absolutely necessary for someone.
For that is the very magic that will truly set us free in this harsh world.
