You will recall that I said earlier that negotiation, whether at work or at home, is a game—“Care, but don’t care that much.” Even if you have just cause to retaliate, restrain yourself. Remember, the provocative act by itself rarely upsets you; rather, it’s the view that you take of it that rankles. No one and nothing can irritate you without your consent. Thomas Jefferson was alluding to this demeanor when he said, “Nothing gives a person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.” Keep saying to yourself over and over, “It’s a game. It’s the world of illusion. A tactic perceived is no tactic. I care, but not that much.”