Self-Cultivation

First, speaking is an art — know when to give a compliment, know when to lift someone up. Second, be reliable and give efficient feedback. Third, take on all the trivial, annoying tasks — that’s on you! Spend more time talking with people who’ve made money. One, to learn how they spot opportunities. Two, to copy their homework directly. The prerequisite is that you know how to carry yourself — and I mean that in every sense of the word.

Inspiration is a fascinating thing. Sometimes, sitting quietly with a cup of clear tea, ideas suddenly flow like a spring — and the words written in those moments tend to touch people at a soul-deep level, carrying a particularly high and positive energy. Tonight’s article is just like that: simple, yet it puts your depth of understanding to the test. I’ve written many long pieces lately — it’s good to occasionally put out something short but full of great wisdom. I wonder: do you truly understand it yourself?

Many of my brothers and sisters can’t figure it out — why is it that the people who’ve achieved the most, the ones who’ve reached genuine financial freedom, all seem so calm? So zen? So utterly unruffled? How does someone keep rising, keep thriving, without the hype, without the war cries, without the constant adrenaline? There’s a reason for it. And you should know what it is. Here’s the thing: if you ever get the chance to spend real time up close with someone whose net worth clears the C5 threshold, you’ll understand immediately. The charging-hard, attacking-everything style simply cannot be sustained. Once in a while is fine — but try to keep it going for more than a week, and it doesn’t matter if you’re human or immortal, you will break.

Another day as a frequent flyer — just touched down at the airport. But the heart-to-heart exchanges with my brothers and sisters must continue. Inspiration struck mid-flight: rather than writing a full article, why not simply lay out the key points directly? That works just fine. Things to do more of — the high-energy practices: Exercise, early to bed and early to rise, movies, music, singing, dancing, calligraphy, travel, tea drinking, savoring fragrance, flower arranging, sitting in stillness, reading, practicing calligraphy from models, appreciating paintings, copying scriptures, playing the qin, burning incense, growing flowers, moon gazing, listening to rain, stargazing, sunbathing, enjoying snow, birdwatching, watching fish, hot spring bathing, foot soaking, mountain hiking, gazing into the distance, looking out from great heights, walking, rowing a boat, wandering through mountains, playing in water, finding warmth in winter, escaping summer heat, following the natural flow, letting go of worries, doing good deeds, fitness training, yoga, meditation, cooking, relaxing, taking a bath, tending to your mental wellness, chatting, photography, handicrafts, swimming, laughter, creating, loving cats, getting fresh air, donating, collecting books, rock music, taking a nap, clearing your mind, humming songs, screenwriting, a light drink, running, comics, building blocks, reciting poetry, art books, picking fruit, hugging, aromatherapy, eating sweets, playing ball sports, fishing, watching dramas, embroidery, admiring flowers, wall climbing, playing with toys, camping, visiting galleries, visiting museums, petting cats, piano, brewing tea, abstract art, hugging trees, gourmet dining, ice cream, doodling, playing instruments, online gaming, visiting gardens, honoring ancestors, lighting lanterns, hide-and-seek, foot baths, cooking meals, eating fish, archery, climbing trees, spontaneous visits to friends, seeking out new flavors, reading poetry, dance, writing letters, hugging dogs, deep contemplation, appreciating the artistry in paintings, performing music, craftsmanship, pottery, massage.

Today is the Lantern Festival. First, I wish all my brothers and sisters peace, joy, and smooth sailing in everything. And since it is the Lantern Festival, it also marks the true beginning of the new year. Some of you are still feeling a little lost. You sense that this Year of the Wood Dragon may bring a gradual warming and renewal — yet you’re not quite sure what to do about it.

Some things I’ve witnessed lately have weighed on me. So I want to offer a few words of honest counsel to the brothers and sisters who’ve come from the countryside, county towns, small cities, and other such places. First: the vast majority of ordinary people who come from small towns are in no way inferior to their big-city peers. They’re just as sharp, just as naturally gifted. The problem is that traditional Confucian education runs too deep in these places. So you either get raised by mediocre parents who beat the independence out of you — producing a meek, naive, long-suffering kid who can’t make a single decision for himself — or you get neglected entirely and drift into becoming a directionless street kid who doesn’t care about anything and knows even less.

Brothers and sisters — may this new beginning bring great fortune. I wonder if you felt it too: the moment the eighth day of the Lunar New Year arrived in the Year of Jiachen (the Wood Dragon year), something quietly stirred inside you — an urge that whispered, “This year, I need to really give it everything.” If you felt that, your intuition is sharp. You’re the kind of person with genuine natural gifts.

Student Question: Good day, Master. I’d like to ask about preview and review strategies for my child’s elementary school Chinese language studies. We’ve been going about it rather aimlessly — just having the child go through the material over and over from beginning to end. The child pushes back and refuses to cooperate. I find myself getting anxious at times. My child’s father thinks the daily in-class content is so minimal — is it really necessary to keep drilling it? We have different views on the child’s education in this area. I’d like to ask Master how to resolve this.

Many people ask how to meet noble benefactors (Gui Ren). Let me give you the general picture. First, if a powerful person notices you, beyond your excellent qualities or skills, the main reason is that you remind them of their younger self. They sense a similarity in temperament and disposition — a kind of inexplicable closeness, what people call natural eye chemistry. Second, you know how to show genuine gratitude. Your words reach their heart, and you deliver results beautifully. When a noble benefactor gives you a small opportunity to test your capabilities, you give it everything you have, you don’t seek credit, and you’re not fixated purely on personal gain — you leave the glory for your benefactor. They see that you have a broad life pattern (格局), that you understand unspoken rules and know your place. Over time, they’ll start introducing you to their inner circle.

In communities dedicated to the dating woes of accomplished women in major cities, there is no shortage of what I call the “polished elite” — middle-class women with solid family backgrounds and impressive credentials: 985/211 undergraduates, top overseas master’s degrees, raised by families who invested enormous time and money in their development. They’ve put in the work themselves too — holding core positions at major platforms, using spare time to build side businesses, with cars, homes, and savings well sorted. Their looks and figures are above average. They don’t pinch pennies at dinner, they reciprocate gifts, they carry themselves with proper upbringing. And yet, they still can’t find the right person. The core reason: men at their level are simply too rare.