“There is only one illness in this world that cannot be cured — and that is the disease of poverty.”
I don’t know where this saying comes from, but I disagree with it entirely. The disease of poverty can be cured — as long as you can find the right prescription.
Master Chi has seen his share of poverty and destitution in this world. Based on experience, the “causes” that lead to poverty almost always trace back to one of eleven roots.
For these eleven causes, I sincerely hope you will read carefully and hold them up as a mirror to yourself. If you recognize any of them — treat the wound to the bone and seek a cure as soon as possible. If you don’t — let this serve as a lasting warning to guard against these tendencies before they take hold.
1 — A Dangerously Fragile Ego
A casual remark, a facial expression, a joke, a gesture from someone else — any of it can make you feel personally targeted and attacked. You quietly log the offense in your heart, carving it deep, waiting for the right moment to retaliate. The result: wherever you go, you naturally accumulate enemies and make people want to keep their distance.
Remember this: in other people’s eyes, you really aren’t that important. Whenever you feel that sting of being targeted, first ask yourself — is this person just like this with everyone? If so, ignore them, or fire back with a light joke and move on. Don’t make a scene out of it.
2 — A Terrifying Degree of Self-Interest
Absolutely refuses to bear any loss or risk, yet is extremely enthusiastic about collecting small favors. The worldview here is: “As long as I come out ahead, everyone else can sink or swim.” This is shortsightedness taken to its extreme — for the sake of petty gains, friends and noble benefactors (Gui Ren) alike become stepping stones to be exploited without hesitation.
Selfishness and shortsightedness are nearly synonymous. The root cause is a poverty-stricken upbringing that made money the only thing that mattered. The truth is, everyone in this world looks out for their own interests — the difference is that people who operate at a higher level also know how to value other precious resources: reputation, connections, social circles. Learn to set your sights higher, and you can overcome this stubborn condition.
3 — A Pathetic Sense of Weakness
Already approaching thirty, yet still proudly calling yourself a “good, honest person” — not realizing that the Chi field an “honest person” broadcasts is essentially: “I’m willing to sacrifice my interests and boundaries to avoid conflict.” The result is being exploited and pushed around again and again, becoming everyone’s designated soft target.
Regardless of gender, being an “honest person” is nothing to be proud of. Honest person = slow, naive, dull, poor at self-defense. Helping others is fine — but don’t make yourself an inexhaustible target for exploitation. Become someone who is kind-hearted but sharp-handed, who gives only to true friends. Learn to ask for something in return, and learn to grow some edges.
4 — A Gossipy Troublemaker
Born nosy and deeply fond of stirring up trouble — always presenting as “someone who stands up for their friends,” when in reality it’s just cheap talk and a love of sowing discord. What these people don’t realize is that their constant meddling eventually means no one will ever trust them again — and yet they sit there feeling smug about how loyal they are.
The most basic rule of social life: unless someone brings something up themselves, don’t wade into their business and don’t take sides. And when someone does come to you for advice, if you actually consider them a friend, first understand the full situation, then lay out the facts and consequences rationally. If that friend won’t hear it — they weren’t a real friend to begin with, just an acquaintance.
5 — Unreasonable Double Standards
Completely different rulebooks for lovers, friends, colleagues, and partners — versus themselves. Their own mistakes always come with an excuse. Other people’s smallest slip-ups get relentlessly pursued, criticized, and mocked. Not the slightest understanding of forgiveness or tolerance, and still managing to argue that everything is somehow the other person’s fault.
In dealing with people, always maintain a generous, accommodating, and tolerant attitude. When someone makes a mistake in a shared endeavor — regardless of type — don’t fixate on it. A single correction lands far better than endlessly harping on the issue. Worst case, find someone stronger to work with. That is the permanent solution.
6 — Uncontrolled Emotional Outbursts
The moment emotions surge, every available outlet gets deployed without restraint — verbal abuse, screaming, throwing things — whatever feels most satisfying in the moment. Afterward, it all gets excused as “just being authentic.” There’s zero awareness that even a single episode like this can permanently destroy a reputation and image in any given social circle.
Next time you feel one of these episodes coming on, immediately tell yourself: “Everything you’re about to unleash will not make anyone afraid of you — it will only make you their entertainment.” Suppress the urge, take a walk outside, and ask yourself: “Has exploding repeatedly ever made my life better? No — which means I’m being an idiot. It’s time to root this habit out.”
7 — Near-Delusional Self-Confidence
Thoroughly average in ability, appearance, and social standing — yet firmly convinced of being exceptional, a diamond in the rough, someone the world owes recognition. No awareness that acknowledging one’s own weakness should be the starting point for working harder. Instead, they believe others have an obligation to serve them. This pattern is especially common among women from poorer backgrounds.
Why does it matter to expose yourself to the wider world? Precisely because in doing so you can clearly measure the gap between yourself and those who are genuinely excellent — and see your own shortcomings and what needs catching up. Not strut around like a frog at the bottom of a well.
8 — No Sense of Boundaries
Zero respect or consideration for others. Such low emotional intelligence that other people’s help and goodwill are taken as a given. On top of that, habitually treating others’ resources, space, time, and social capital as available for personal use — without permission. In this person’s world, a friend’s goodwill, energy, time, money, and connections are all simply what they’re owed.
The simplest cure is to learn the concept of exchange. Exchange doesn’t only happen between money and capital — it happens in every dimension of life. Even with your closest friends, never let someone help you and walk away empty-handed. Even if they insist they don’t mind — your attitude should insist that you do. That is the way to conduct yourself as a person.
9 — Poor Independent Thinking
Naturally inclined toward passive, follow-the-crowd thinking. Whatever others say, they believe. Whatever others do, they copy. Whatever they’re told to do, they execute. Not only do they fail to think three steps ahead — they won’t even examine the current step for problems or risks. These are natural cogs, born to spend their entire lives doing basic work at the lowest level.
Your life can only ultimately be judged and decided by you. Remember: those who simply go with the flow are nearly always at the bottom — because any position of even moderate value requires some capacity for independent judgment. Therefore, cultivate the quality of thinking carefully at every step and seeking improvement in everything, large or small.
10 — Resistance to Serious Learning
No matter how many times they get burned, how much they suffer, how many disasters they experience from sheer ignorance — they face life with a permanently incurious attitude. Even when you try to offer guidance out of goodwill, they’ll fire back with their own arrogant and foolish logic, utterly without gratitude or humility. So the people around them are content to watch them sink or swim — and they become a running joke in every circle they enter.
If this is a stubborn condition you carry, I’m sorry — there are no shortcuts. The answer is simple: force yourself to develop a daily reading habit. Not the skimming-scrolling kind of online reading — pick up a real, worthwhile book and read it seriously. Read ten of them, and you will realize just how crude, foolish, and unrefined you once were. From that point, you’ll find your way onto the right track.
11 — A Black Hole of Negative Energy
Approaching everything and everyone with relentless pessimism. Around a person like this, you feel like you’re standing next to a walking bad-luck charm. Nothing is possible; and even if it were, there’s no point. Even your most sincere, sunny encouragement bounces back as a sigh and a lecture on why things will go wrong.
Even when something actually succeeds, they’ll chalk it up to a fluke — followed by a deeply dejected exhale.
For people like this: don’t hesitate. Distance yourself as soon as possible, because saving them through any external force is nearly impossible. But if you are in this state — then start immediately by setting small, reachable, positive goals for yourself. Something like: run 6 kilometers without stopping within two months, or shed five kilos of excess weight in three months. Set an execution plan. Use small victories, one after another, to reverse your own pessimism.
These past weeks have been extremely busy, so I’ve been combining new pieces with classic articles in my publishing schedule.