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Michael Edmondson

Do you rely on subtle maneuvers?


Today is June 8 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is “Are you relying on subtle maneuvers to translate your dream into reality or are you waiting for the perfect moment?”

German-language novelist and short story writer Franz Kafka, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature, relied on subtle maneuvers. Most successful people who navigate the chaos use the subtle maneuvers strategy.

Throughout his life Kafka had a Brotberuf—a bread job that allowed him to have a reliable source of income.

Franz Kafka’s father often referred to his son's job at the Worker’s Accident Insurance Institute as his Brotberuf— a job to put bread on the table. Kafka's job with Worker's Accident Insurance Institute had him investigate and assess compensation related to personal injury cases involving lost fingers or limbs to name just a few of the many situations.

Kafka usually got off work at 2 p.m., so that he had time to spend on his literary work.

Kafka described his approach to writing in a letter to a friend: “Time is short, my strength is limited, the office is a horror, the apartment is noisy, and if a pleasant, straightforward life is not possible, then one must try to wriggle through by subtle maneuvers.”

Kafka was unknown during his own lifetime, but he did not consider fame important. He became famous soon after his death.

Almost all of Kafka’s work incidentally was published posthumously, against his wishes. Kafka is renowned for his visionary and profoundly enigmatic stories that often present a grotesque vision of the world in which individuals burdened with guilt, isolation, and anxiety make a futile search for personal salvation.

His major works include: The Trial (Der Prozess), The Castle (Das Schloss), Amerika and The Metamorphosis. Kafka had a full-time job yet used subtle maneuvers to write at night and on the weekends.

Are you relying on the subtle maneuvers strategy?

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