Author: Commander of the Night Watch
Preface
This is a man-made countercyclical distortion. Without fundamental reform, a cliff-edge demographic collapse is inevitable — one that will disrupt numerous industries, eliminate countless jobs, and alter the destinies of millions. The cyclical continuity of human civilization cannot be stopped, but institutional reform is achievable. And the first obstacle any reform must overcome is the weight of ingrained beliefs.
As long as the existing marriage institution remains intact, a cliff-edge demographic collapse cannot be avoided. Yes, it will generate profound social problems and reshape the futures of countless industries and individuals. But at this stage, no one has the courage to reach for the key that could actually solve the problem.
Recently someone came to me for a consultation. They said they wanted to start a side business but didn’t have anything they were good at. What should they do?
Nothing they’re good at.
It seems like a lot of people have told me this same thing — that year after year, they have no interests or hobbies. Many say their family circumstances never gave them the chance to develop any. I disagree. Look at the people running small online businesses: wool felt animals, resin jar crafts, custom portrait drawings, little logo designs — all of them grew from a personal hobby, step by step, into a side business, then into a full-time income. Have you noticed those wool felt custom animal makers? Lead time is a full month, and they have a waitlist. You have to wait. I once bought a 150-yuan resin pumpkin jar and waited two months for it. That tells you her business is genuinely thriving — and it almost certainly started from a hobby.
Fate is a remarkable thing. The very fact that you’re reading this article means heaven wants you to find encouragement here.
Especially in this hour before dawn — I know you’re carrying a great deal of pressure inside.
Anxious, unable to sleep.
Anxious about income that never feels enough, about a future that remains unclear, about a marriage that isn’t working, about problems of every kind.
So let me offer you this: remember, every problem you’re facing right now has been faced by countless people before you — and many of them faced situations far worse than yours.
Test whether you have what it takes for self-media. Step 1: If you’re doing graphic content, open any social platform, pick a topic that interests you, and start writing.
Step 2: The next day, look at what you wrote the day before. Revise it. Then write something new.
Step 3: Repeat.
The benchmarks:
If you can’t keep it up for one month — you don’t have the talent. If you sustain one month but still can’t reach 3,000 followers after six months — you probably don’t have the talent either. But you can keep at it if you want to find out. If you’ve stuck with it for a full year and still haven’t hit 10,000 followers — again, no natural talent. Though luck is unpredictable, so whether to continue is entirely your call. If you ultimately can’t stay consistent — three days on, two days off — that’s also a sign of no talent. If you’ve stayed consistent but seen zero progress whatsoever — that’s no luck. Writing can only be a hobby at that point. Don’t count on making money from it. Harsh, but true.
I’ve been in North America for a while recently, and since it’s been many years since my last extended stay, I’ve reconnected with many old friends and caught up on the world of overseas Chinese communities.
On top of that — for reasons everyone knows — emigration has become a hot topic again in China, both last year and this year. Every day, readers in my community ask me: at this particular moment in time, should they go out and see a new world?
Tonight, let me speak with you plainly, heart to heart.
You see, I’ve always believed that the greatest wealth in my life was never the assets and money I accumulated through years of hard-fought effort.
On the contrary — my greatest wealth has always been the suffering and failures I once endured.
Those experiences were the raw materials that truly forged who I am at my core.
I still vaguely remember the lowest years of my youth.
Some say: “Better to marry well than to work hard” is a distorted idea, and we shouldn’t be promoting hypergamy for women.
The first part, I agree with: whoever said doing well in your career and marrying well are mutually exclusive? Both are fine.
“Well” is something quantifiable. If you earn a million a year versus marrying someone worth ten million — which is better? Everyone has their own values.
Picking up from my last piece — let me talk about why my mindset has stayed solid despite everything.
This is a bigger topic, so let me be clear upfront.
First: I remain personally optimistic about the future. Not a naive, head-in-the-sand kind of optimism — but a considered judgment reached after careful analysis and observation.
Second: I’m deeply bullish on what I call the “industrial crown” sectors — new energy, precision manufacturing, electric vehicles, aerospace, energy storage, semiconductors. These are industries that generate real, powerful economic momentum. The progress they’ve made over the past five years has been nothing short of remarkable — a dominant, leave-everyone-in-the-dust kind of lead.
Recently, I attended an internal course led by the president of a publicly listed company. It was an unplanned trip — and it brought unexpected insights.
The content covered equity distribution, incentives, financing, and monetization. It even addressed how to evaluate founders, how to find co-founders, and practical guidance on being an effective number-two leader.
Unfortunately, the president’s identity is too sensitive — sharing it could potentially move the stock price. After consulting with him, we agreed to keep his identity concealed in order to share these ideas more freely.
Honestly, I never expected so much to change in such a short time — and that so many of you have been through so much in just this past half-year.
Everyone could use a little encouragement right now.
It’s also been several months since I last shared a background blessing image. And based on your responses, the previous two were especially well-received.
So I thought it was time to create a new one for you — to help usher in the purple Chi from the east (紫气东来), and bring smooth sailing to all your endeavors.