A Kind of Advice

The importance of history lies in the fact that it provides us with the opportunity to learn from praiseworthy historical figures. This is a vital clue to avoiding mixing up the thread that connects our past, present and future. As much as fortune is a matter of chance, a wise person is able to bring about outcomes with certainty. Whether you aspire to reach for the stars or lament over feelings of inadequacy and frustration towards this seemingly unfruitful journey, relying only on your "destined path" is simply not the way to live your life. 

To be able to put yourself in an invincible position, and to even eventually oversee everything from above, you should work towards developing your skills. Most importantly, you must develop the skill of transforming your mental garbage into a commodity, just like the famous Chinese merchant Lubuwei. There is only one method to earn respect in any profession — that is, to elevate yourself to a certain height and give weight to your actions and words. If you slavishly pursue a trifling profit or narrowly invest your energy in trivial matters, you will only end up with the scraps. If you can creatively and skillfully manage your worldly affairs such as work, family, money, wealth, and interpersonal relationships of all levels, then all aforementioned arenas of your life will be elevated to a form of art. Use your sixth sense to look into things that are soon to happen. Never underestimate those sudden ideas that spring up in your mind, no matter how queer they might appear, for you never know, you might be the next Isaac Newton or Thomas Edison. 

There is actually no such thing as garbage; what we call garbage is simply fertilizer that has been used in the wrong place. The key to turning a disadvantaged position into victory lies in the ability to never give up on any seemingly insignificant interpersonal relationship because all relationships count as a kind of social resource that is completely free of charge. Networking and good interpersonal relationships are crucial in determining your future performance on this stage we call life. Whether a person is resolute enough is not determined by their drive, nor by their audacity or business acumen. While all these are important, what’s more important is the ability to “understand the mind.” The top tips from those in high places which guarantee absolute victory include the following: “Stones from other hills may serve to polish the jade of this one, (other people's good quality or suggestion whereby one can remedy one's own defects),” “know how to put yourself into others’ shoes, making good use of your empathy,” and mind-reading techniques. On top of that, if you are able to spend a considerable amount of time on practicing “loving words” and “working harmoniously with others,” then you’ll not only possess the capability to hold a chief minister’s position; you might one day become the CEO, taking charge of over a hundred companies. Therefore, you ought not to invest a great amount of effort and money on learning from others’ experiences, while failing to acknowledge your own strengths. 

When you fall, remember this is just the preliminary trial for later hardships which will eventually lead you to success. So when you are encountering either mental or material difficulties, you should adopt a positive attitude and the ability to look at the bigger picture and self-deprecate oneself. This ability and attitude serve as space for breaks, just like, before arriving at your destination, you need to find a gas station to replace a flat tire and use the restroom. Always take adversities as your last chance in learning, because adversities foreshadow success. Endurance is the secret to success for all successful Japanese entrepreneurs, and there are many examples borne out of their ability to both endure and await the right opportunity. The Japanese people firmly believe in learning from the characters of the famed novel Romance of the Three Kingdom. They see characters such as Cao Cao and Sima Yi as role models. 

Do not let failure be your misfortune. I believe in this fable which says how roads did not exist in the world in the beginning. Eventually a road that led to heaven was created after having been trodden by so many people. Great achievements require an imposing style that enables you to be nonplussed by insignificant matters. Even when you are on top of the world, you are utterly unmoved by that; conversely, when the whole world is against you, you will accept it unbegrudgingly. Take note from Zhuge Liang who, having found himself under fire from all quarters, managed to maintain his inner poise while calmly playing the Guqin as if nothing was happening. He must have attained a profound level of meditative stillness in his past life to possess such ability. Sometimes it is better to allow yourself a little trouble in order to avoid paving the way for disasters in days to come. 

From Shang Longrik Gyatso