Negotiation

Life is all about Negotiation. One can say that when you are young, you should study hard, get good results, after graduation from university, find a good job and everything else will work out fine.
Well, actually, from my own experience, studying hard when you are young and working hard when you are in the workforce, are all important, however, one of the most essential ingredients to a successful career is to know how to Negotiate well enough.
Everything is about the 'N' word. When you talk with people, you are already negotiating in terms of sharing opinions, which opinion gets the longest talk time depends on subtle negotiation. When you are discussing a business deal with a client, it is either you get the upper hand or the client gets the upper hand, or you strike a balance and meet somewhere halfway. When you work with colleagues in the office, it is either they take advantage of you or vice versa, or strike a balance and meet halfway again. When you are walking in a crowded area, it is either you walk up the escalator first or the other person does, when you want to enter a lift in a crowded place, it is the same case. When you speak with your boss, it is either he/she has they way, or you have your way, or meet halfway again.
Almost everything hinges upon Negotiation. Negotiate well with a certain level of EQ, one can be successful in most things.