When a fool meets a wise man, the fool thinks the wise man is a fool. He may offer the wise man advice, but the wise man will not argue against ignorance, against arrogance, he will allow natural consequences to happen. People only see what their beliefs and perceptions tell them to see. They can look at a successful man as a failure because they need to see him that way. Does it make sense for a successful man to argue with them? The wise man will smile inside when he knows he is right; not because he has the privilege of silently proving them wrong, but for the realization that his wisdom saved him once again. The notion of saving one’s self is extremely important. It can be done in many ways. It happens most often when we say “no” to things. Our resolve will be tested by insecure people who question our security. “Don’t you need that?” They will ask. But if a man knows, these voices become minor annoyances that don’t echo past the moment. “Regret lasts a lifetime,” they will say. But the wise man knows there is a cost in every decision that is made. This doesn’t make decisions bad; it just makes them decisions. If you are conscious when you make them and you have the courage to do it, I don’t think they can be called regrets; I think a man who makes decisions is alive.