You must never allow yourself to wallow too deeply in a “low period” — especially not to the point where the times and circumstances strip you of your fighting spirit.
Understand this: everyone, without exception, will go through stretches of embarrassing, face-in-the-mud days due to factors beyond their control.
But the harder the days, the less you can afford to dwell on them.
Think of a child who has fallen down. The one who sits there wailing, waiting for their parents to rush over and lift them up — that child is destined to lose in life to the one who stands back up on their own, eyes red, jaw clenched.
Right now, it is a competition of who can let go of the endless complaining sooner and just get on with living in the present.
Since the start of this year, whenever any app pushes content that complains, cries, or wallows in pessimism, I hit “reduce recommendations” without a second thought.
I have no use for anyone telling me again and again how hard life is right now. That kind of sustained outpouring of negativity belongs to the weak-spirited — those who fuss and fret endlessly.
I don’t need it. Neither do you.
Because you and I are alike — we are the pillars of our families, and survivors of this era. Everything we have, we built with our own two hands. That is why our minds are resilient, our emotions are stable, and we have been through the fire.
So there is no need for anyone whispering complaints about the times in our ears. We already know the situation — no need to repeat it.
What we need is concrete “realistic thinking” and “practical execution.”
What is realistic thinking?
What are the things we need to start handling right now? What opportunities are worth going after? Which paths are dead ends, and which risks must we sidestep? What skills, perspectives, and awareness do we still need to sharpen?
What is practical execution?
Every day, with a calm and undistracted mind, focus on earning the money, getting things done, and keeping the right connections properly tended. Then, rain or shine, carve out ninety minutes every single day for exercise and physical training.
The one thing you absolutely do not need: overthinking, second-guessing, or spiraling into anxiety.
Once you start living by this approach, you will gradually notice that steady doses of dopamine and endorphins begin clearing the toxins from your bloodstream — until you settle into a profoundly calm, unshakeable state.
In Master Chi’s own words: being “Buddhist” (佛系) absolutely does not mean lying flat and giving up. It means following the natural rhythms of heaven and earth while still walking your rightful path with unwavering resolve.
A heart like diamond. Steady as a mountain.
I do not expect any so-called miracle to appear in the next four months that we need to scramble frantically to catch.
But those remaining four months — a full 120 days — are more than enough to reverse whatever stagnation you are stuck in right now.
Improve your daily life by just 1% each day, steadily and deliberately.
So starting next week: set your goals, map out your strategy, and begin executing. Just make sure your steps are small — do not rush.
Trust the process. By year’s end, what you will have built, layer by layer, is a completely transformed version of yourself. ☀️