我踏马而来

Have you ever hit rock bottom in life, feeling like you can't break through the status quo? Personally, I think the most terrifying thing about being in a rut isn't the lack of money or resources, but the lack of direction. Lying in bed all day, scrolling through your phone, thinking about this and that, getting more and more anxious, and becoming more and more paralyzed. I've seen too many people trap themselves in this way. Today, I want to share with you a method that I've personally verified - massively imitating Zeng Guofan's action system. Zeng Guofan, in the first half of his life, was a typical "loser". He couldn't even memorize his books, and was so stupid that even a thief who broke into his house looked down on him. He was 30 years old and still taking the imperial exam, and it took him seven attempts to pass. He was physically weak, had a quick temper, and was impulsive. But this person, who was a total mess, eventually turned himself into the most prominent minister of the late Qing dynasty. He didn't rely on talent, but on a system of action that can still be replicated today. The core of this system is four words: "daily persistence". What does it mean? Doing what you need to do every day without fail. It sounds simple, but it's precisely this simplicity that can pull you out of a rut. I myself was a total wreck in 2018. I was burned by a project during the ICO craze and lost all my money. Every day, I woke up anxious, and spent the whole day scrolling through my phone, not knowing what I was doing. One day, I remembered Zeng Guofan's diary and went to read his books. I found that he recorded extremely ordinary things every day - what he read, how many characters he practiced, and whether he got up early. There were no grand goals, just doing one small thing after another. I thought to myself: why not try it too? So I set three tasks for myself: waking up at 7 am every day, reading at least 10 pages of a book, and exercising for at least an hour. Just these three things, nothing else. The first month was almost impossible. When the alarm went off, I wanted to sleep in; when I opened the book, my brain was blank; when I went to exercise, I wanted to give up after 10 minutes. But I still gritted my teeth and persisted. Because Zeng Guofan said something that really resonated with me: "If you don't do it today, you'll regret it tomorrow". I recited this to myself every morning. After persisting for two months, something magical happened - I found that I was no longer anxious. It wasn't that my problems were solved, but I had regained control over my life. Every morning, I knew what I needed to do. Doing what I needed to do made the day meaningful and fulfilling. After three months, my state of mind was completely different. The books I read became valuable content, and I had a calm heart. The exercise made my body relaxed, and my spirit improved. Most importantly, I regained confidence in myself - I knew that I could do whatever I wanted. This is the power of Zeng Guofan's system. It can't make you strong overnight, but through daily, simple actions, it can rebuild your ability to take action and your self-confidence. But most people who learn from Zeng Guofan learn the wrong things. They start by learning the big principles - self-cultivation, family management, governance, and world peace. But you have to know that Zeng Guofan was able to say these things because he had already taken the most basic actions to the extreme. You're currently in a rut, and what you need isn't a motivational speech, but a simple action system that can help you execute consistently. Today, I'm giving you an action plan. Starting from today, set three tasks: The first task is related to your schedule. For example, waking up and sleeping at fixed times. The second task is input-oriented. For example, what you're going to learn today, and how you're going to make yourself better. The third task is output-oriented. For example, what specific work you're going to do today, and what you're going to do to make yourself feel fulfilled and grow. Just do these three things. Every day, complete them and put a checkmark in your notebook. After seven days, you'll find that your state of mind has improved. After a month, you'll find that you've already climbed out of the rut - at least mentally. Friendly reminder: this process won't be smooth sailing. You'll definitely have times when you want to give up, but remember Zeng Guofan's six words: "even if you're beaten to the point of losing teeth, swallow your blood". No matter how hard it gets, keep gritting your teeth and persisting, because once you stop, all your previous efforts will be wasted. Now, looking back on my own experience in the rut, I'm really grateful that I didn't give up. If I had continued to lie in bed and waste my time, I wouldn't be where I am today. What really changed me was those three simple things, doing them day after day. When you're in a difficult situation, don't think too far ahead. Being in a rut isn't scary, what's scary is staying in the rut for too long and becoming a waste of space. Zeng Guofan's greatest inspiration to us is that action is the only solution. Don't wait until you're in a good state to take action, but take action to improve your state. Starting from today, set your three tasks. Do them every day, don't think too much, and don't make excuses. Just do them, and persist in doing them. As you accumulate day by day, you'll find that - it's not that hard to climb out of the rut. Take action, starting from now, starting from the simplest thing. Your change will come quietly, through your daily persistence.