Wei Zheng
Begin Well, End Well
Be as straight with people in good times as you were in hard ones: write it down before you are pleased with yourself
Old Book of Tang, Biography of Wei Zheng (juan 71): the memorial on ten things to bear in mind
You held on through the hard years and now slacken a little each month. Why did Wei Zheng list for the emperor the mistakes that follow success?
What actually happened?
Wei Zheng wrote to Taizong and did not open with principles of government. He opened with an awkward question: of all who have received the mandate, none has failed to speak most clearly in hardship, and once the work is done their virtue fades. Many begin well; few see it through. Is it, he asked, that winning is easy and keeping hard? He answered himself: they had won with a surplus, and now held with a shortfall. Why?
Sincere in hardship, arrogant in success
His answer is short: in hardship a ruler gives all he has to those below him; once he has what he wanted, he indulges himself and looks down on others. In hard times you say what you think; when it goes well, meetings become routine. The difference is not ability but attitude quietly changing gear.
In year one of a start-up you tell everyone everything. When the company is profitable, decisions get taken by three or four people.
Resentment is not measured by size
He warns that what is to be feared is the person, not how large the grievance is. In good times we overlook the people we overrode with a casual word, who said nothing at the time and have not forgotten it.
You brush off a veteran's point in a meeting; he nods, and from then on stops volunteering the things you most need to hear.
Pair every want with a question for yourself
The ten thoughts pair up: seeing something you want, think of when you have enough; about to build, think of when to stop; fearing slackness, think of ending as carefully as you began. He does not say do not want things. He ties wanting to a question, a brake fitted while things go well.
Before opening a fourth shop, write down how many you can truly keep running, then go and look at premises.
How do I use it today?
Where you are: things are better than when you started, and you cannot say where, but your edge is going.
Ask first: Do I talk to the people around me now as I did in my worst year? Is there something I brushed aside that the other person did not argue with?
Where it goes wrong: reading the ten thoughts as a list for daily self-reproach. They describe how people lose speed when pleased, and are meant to fit a brake in advance, not to be rehearsed every night.
Lines to keep
Resentment is not about size; what is to be feared is people.
In hardship he gives all; once successful, he looks down.
Fear slackness, and think of ending as you began.
Same situation, other people are asking
Everything's fine. What should I be getting ready for?To make this quarter I would squeeze the people carrying me.It is working. Should I go loud about it now?This is the highest I have ever been. Do I push for more?Things are going well and it scares me · all 13 questions →If this one named what you are going through,
send it to someone who needs it, or keep it somewhere you will find it again.