Lessons from Tango

Zoom out to see the larger picture, or zoom in to see only yourself — the outcomes are different.

Become one with your partner, or remain alone in your own world — the outcomes are different.

Think from your partner’s perspective, or think only of yourself — the outcomes are different.

Strive for shared well-being, or chase personal success — the outcomes are different.

Find common ground, or focus on differences — the outcomes are different.

Foster cooperation, or fuel conflict — the outcomes are different.

Show flexibility, or cling to rigidity — the outcomes are different.

Compromise and adapt, or insist and resist — the outcomes are different.

Meet halfway, or assert yourself — the outcomes are different.

Seek balance, or pursue extremes — the outcomes are different.

Maintain harmony, or pursue dominance — the outcomes are different.

Choose humility, or embrace hubris — the outcomes are different.

Act with empathy, or act with aloofness — the outcomes are different.

Forgive, or hold grudges — the outcomes are different.

Build a bridge, or build a wall — the outcomes are different.

The first path reflects the nobility of human nature; the second reveals its smallness.

The former — aligned with the spirit of tango — brings peace, cohesion, and beauty.

The latter — rooted in ego and isolation — breeds tension, division, and dissonance.