A New Year’s Message — Two Pieces of Advice
First Piece of Advice: Investment is a means, not an end. Hold off on large investments for now — whether in education or in projects.
Why? Because the economic situation is still unclear. What looks like an opportunity today can flip the moment policy shifts.
That opportunity could instantly become a trap.
You need to be able to wait. To endure.
The risk-reward of investment is brutally asymmetric.
When you succeed, it’s like mastering a deadly martial art and defeating your opponent — but you still take 800 hits to land 1,000. The upside may not be as great as you think.
But if you fail, years of effort can vanish overnight.
So the key is simply this: be able to wait.
Not passive waiting — but using this time to sharpen yourself.
Many people see an investment opportunity and want in immediately. Then once they’re in, they realize they can’t handle it. The reason is simple: they weren’t ready.
When you’re too anxious, you’re always looking for something to do. And that’s exactly when mistakes happen.
Here’s a simple example. Not long ago, lemons were everywhere — everyone was buying them for the Vitamin C. Someone noticed the local fruit market had run out of lemons and thought: here’s my chance to make money. He ordered a large quantity online and paid for SF Express shipping.
Due to logistics delays, the shipment took over ten days to arrive.
First problem: the lemons were no longer fresh.
Second problem: the price had already dropped. The premium was gone.
He didn’t make money. He lost quite a bit.
The second factor: discover your opportunity while you’re waiting. When the moment arrives, be ready to seize it.
And if you’re seriously considering an investment, ask yourself these three questions first:
Question one: If I lose this money, can I absorb the loss? Especially — can you make sure your family doesn’t suffer for it?
Question two: What is the actual return on this? Money that earns nothing — try not to spend it. Things like luxury bags and cars that only depreciate with no return — scale these back for the next year or two. (Unless you genuinely need them to project credibility in business dealings — that’s a different story.)
Question three: What is your expected timeline for returns?
Over the past year or so, I’ve watched too many people go all-in on a single project — and after nearly a year, not a single bubble has surfaced.
I won’t say their projects are bad. I’ll only say this: can your financial situation survive until the day that project pays off?
Whatever you do — investment, learning, anything — set yourself a deadline for returns. If that deadline passes with nothing to show, cut your losses. It doesn’t matter how brilliant the teacher is or how great the project looks. None of that matters to you if you can’t make it to that point.
Others may have the capital to outlast the wait. You may not.
Second Piece of Advice:
The world is here for you to use — not for you to exhaust yourself serving.
Remember: whoever shows up in your life — whether they’re a major player or a nobody — they appeared to help you build your dream. Whoever you learn from, whoever you work with, no matter how prominent they are, the purpose is clear: you are here to borrow their momentum, their wisdom.
Even when I do something for someone else, that act is still part of my own strategy.
Only when the world is yours to use can you truly take command of your life.