Over the years, I’ve arrived at one profound realization: the reason people struggle is almost always because they’ve made their lives too complicated.
If you don’t believe me, take a close look at the people around you who are stuck in poverty, chaos, and constant drama.
Their lives are invariably packed with people and situations that consume enormous amounts of their energy — while producing absolutely nothing useful in return.
So every bit of effort they put in gets steadily drained, squandered, and swallowed up by these forces.
It’s like carrying an invisible tumor on your body that quietly absorbs every nutrient you take in.
Here’s how I see it: this era we live in is neither the best of times nor the worst of times. It is, however, an era where sustained, consistent effort will — at minimum — produce slow, incremental progress.
Which means that if you are genuinely diligent, careful, and hardworking, it is simply not possible to end up with nothing to show for it.
If you’re exhausted and still seeing no results, there is an invisible tumor somewhere in your life. No question about it.
So what do you do?
Every time I work with someone on life planning and destiny framework (格局) analysis, I give them the same earnest reminder: if you want your life to improve and your wealth to grow, you must constantly optimize the condition of your life.
Treat your life like a room. Get into the habit of bringing good things in — and regularly clearing the bad things out.
Some things that were once good may have turned sour over time. Those need to go too. Don’t be lazy about it.
Otherwise, your life will end up like a neglected old house — first filled with clutter, then gradually overrun with rot and pests, until it becomes a place that generates nothing but negative energy.
You might assume that the “good things” in life are refined, expensive, and hard to obtain. They’re not.
What counts as a good thing? Meditation. Tea. Tending to plants. Reading the classics. Keeping a commonplace book. Sleeping early. Rising early. Sitting in sunlight. Walking. Jogging. Exercise. Laughter. Eating simply. Staying away from alcohol and cigarettes. Reflecting on your life. Planning ahead. Hiking. Fishing. Keeping a clean home. Learning what’s worth learning. Swimming. Letting your mind go blank. Afternoon naps. Travel. Practicing calligraphy or copying sutras. Cherishing your family. Being genuinely warm to your friends. Pouring yourself into your work.
Look at virtually anyone you admire — in any field — and examine their daily life closely. You’ll find it comes down to more or less this list.
Remarkably clean and simple. And whatever time remains goes entirely, wholeheartedly, into their work.
With a life structured like that, how could things possibly not go well?
In the quiet of the night, I want you to think seriously: what people and situations in your life are the “bad things”?
Find them. Then, without hesitation, put distance between yourself and them.
Trust me — do just this one thing, and your life will start flowing freely and smoothly before you know it.