Friendly reminder: Click the blue text above, "FMCG Distributor Professional Consulting," to learn more about marketing and distributor internal management.
Emperor Yang of Sui once said to Li Shimin in his imperial study: "Great deeds are not accomplished by daring, but when you are forced into a corner, you have no choice but to act." He told Li Shimin that he was undertaking a great task. Indeed, on the Lantern Festival night of the 11th year of Daye, his father Li Yuan's sigh led to imprisonment and determined that Li Shimin would embark on an extraordinary path. The unfortunate experience greatly traumatized Sima Qian, who once contemplated suicide, but he remembered his father's last words and encouraged himself with the examples of Confucius, Qu Yuan, Zuo Qiuming, Sun Tzu, and Han Fei, who achieved great things in adversity. With astonishing willpower, he endured humiliation and survived, thus leaving a legacy that has endured for generations.
Many rebel armies in ancient times, both successful and unsuccessful, were also forced into a corner before they burned their boats and accomplished great deeds. It is evident that a smooth life is certainly gratifying, but difficulties and adversity can better stimulate a person's fighting spirit and potential. This is the first point.
Born in troubled times, a person's character also determines their attitude towards affairs and their fate. Only someone like Li Shimin, who is open-minded, receptive to good advice, and possesses decisiveness, can see opportunities in danger and create the Zhenguan Golden Age. Liu Bei, though inferior to Cao Cao and Sun Quan in personal ability, achieved the great feat of dividing the world into three parts. Besides good timing, this can be attributed to his "benevolence and righteousness." Zhuge Liang, in Longzhong, believed that Cao Cao had the advantage of timing, Sun Quan of geography, and Liu Bei of harmony among people, precisely because he saw Liu Bei's character traits.
Conversely, when Emperor Yang of Sui arrived in Jiangdu with his ministers, concubines, and guards, less than half a year had passed before peasant uprisings had become a prairie fire. Li Mi's Wagang Army captured Huiluo Granary, occupied most of Henan's prefectures and counties, and besieged Luoyang, the eastern capital. When news reached Jiangdu, no one dared to tell Emperor Yang the truth. It was said, "Indulging in extravagance, exhausting desires, and cutting off advice—how could he not perish?" Similarly, although Yuan Shao had strategists like Tian Feng, Xu You, and Guo Tu, and brave generals like Yan Liang and Wen Chou, his stubbornness and frequent killing of capable advisors cut off advice, leading to his downfall, as Ju Shou and Tian Feng predicted: "If you do not accept loyal advice, great affairs will surely fail."
A person's talent is certainly important, but even with talent like Emperor Yang of Sui, his love of grandeur, refusal to listen to truth and advice, and inability to tolerate loyal ministers ultimately led to the collapse of the Sui Dynasty. It is evident that character traits such as tolerance, openness to advice, benevolence, decisiveness, perseverance, and a spirit of adventure determine a person's success or failure. Therefore, modern people say that character determines destiny—this is not without reason. This is the second point.
As the saying goes, "There are Bole in the world, then there are thousand-li horses; thousand-li horses are common, but Bole is not." Knowing and employing people is one of the most important abilities of a successful person. Wei Zheng was once a strategist for Li Jiancheng and advocated killing Li Shimin. Li Shimin, appreciating his talent, not only spared Wei Zheng but also appointed him to court, deeply moving Wei Zheng. Similarly, Li Shimin's trust in Yuchi Jingde without suspicion made him loyal to Li without reservation. It can be said that he "obtained talent from among prisoners of war and employed loyal ministers from among enemies."
Consider Wei Wu Cao Cao. When Cao Cao and Yuan Shao jointly raised troops to punish Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao once asked, "If the matter is not successful, where can we rely on?" Cao Cao asked in return, "What is your intention?" Yuan Shao said, "I will rely on the Yellow River in the south, block Yan and Dai in the north, and incorporate the Di and Rong tribes, then compete for the world to the south. Can this succeed?" Cao Cao said, "I will employ the wisdom and strength of the world, and govern with the Way, so nothing is impossible." (Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Wei, Annals of Emperor Wu). From their conversation, one can see two completely different views of war and politics. Ultimately, Cao Cao's principle of "promoting talent regardless of virtue" was praised and imitated by many later emperors and generals, setting a model for future personnel selection. This is the third point.
Adversity represents opportunity, character determines destiny and attitude towards affairs, and knowing and employing people is the key to achieving great things. These three factors complement each other and are indispensable, as has been true throughout history, both in China and abroad.
Like this article? Feel free to click the top right corner to share it to your Moments.
About us: WeChat name: FMCG Distributor Professional Consulting and Management Account introduction: 20 years of experience in FMCG distributor operations and management, specializing in distributor internal affairs: We understand distributors better than manufacturers, and we understand internal management better than distributors. Senior marketing experts help your business develop.
Learning and exchange QQ groups:
Group 1: 344257092 (full) Group 2: 231512457
Click "Read the original" below to enter our micro-community for interactive exchange and questions.