865. Zeng Guofan: A person should be self-reliant, stubborn, and have a bright and strong character.
There is a saying that "men should strengthen themselves." That is to say, as a man, you must be self-reliant and self-improvement.
Zeng Guofan talked about self-improvement in many letters home to his brothers and nephews. He advocated that men must be stubborn. The stubbornness here actually refers to the quality of self-improvement.
People often say that character determines destiny, ambition determines achievement, and good character is the prerequisite for success.
Zeng Guofan's character was greatly influenced by his grandfather Zeng Yuping and his mother Jiang. Zeng Yuping often said to her family that "it is a great shame to be weak and have no strength." This sentence had a great influence on Zeng Guofan.
After he became the governor of Liangjiang, he often educated his younger brothers with these words of his grandfather. He believes that "a man must be stubborn to be self-reliant." This sentence reminds people to be persistent, never give up easily, and never give up easily.
As the saying goes, "Those who are determined can achieve great results. If the cauldron sinks the boat, a hundred and two Qin passes will eventually belong to Chu; if a person works hard, God will not let him down; if he sleeps on his salary and tastes courage, three thousand Yuejia can swallow Wu." This is a true portrayal of Zeng Guofan's life achievements.
From the initial repeated defeats with the Taiping Army to the subsequent repeated defeats; from managing the Hunan Navy, first defeated by Jinggang and then defeated by Hukou, the soldiers were willing to leave From the navy to the army, Zeng Guofan always relied on his "stubbornness" to grit his teeth and persist in the situation until the end, and finally had a chance to regain his glory.
Difficulties and hardships are the opportunity for God to temper heroes. In all matters in the world, as long as you can persevere and persevere, you will eventually achieve success. Where there is a will, there is a way. This is the truth.
Zeng Guofan believed that if people want to achieve self-improvement, they must "strengthen themselves where they win over others."
He said in the letter: If a country wants to be strong, it must have many capable ministers; if a family wants to be strong, it must have many capable children. This is also related to destiny, not entirely due to human planning.
A person's own strength and weakness are nothing more than three types: Bei Gongyou's bravery, Meng Shishe's kindness, and Zengzi's righteousness. Mencius combined benevolence and righteousness but was still dissatisfied, which is what Zengzi meant by asking himself and restraining himself. Only Zeng Zi, Mencius and Confucius said that Zhong Yu was strong, and a little calculation could make him strong for a long time. In addition, in battles of wits and strength, some prosper because of their strength, and some suffer defeat because of their strength.
Zeng Guofan used three different ways of self-improvement to express his views on the ninth brother's view that "those who strive for self-improvement will win every time", and listed the deeds of many people throughout the ages to express his views.
In Zeng Guofan’s view, it is okay to be strong in self-cultivation, but it is not appropriate to be ruthless. In the final analysis, to show off one's abilities is to gain a sense of transcendence and superiority over others, thereby seeking for others' affirmative obedience or respect for oneself.
This sense of superiority is often obtained at the expense of suppressing others and hurting others. In the end, it will only artificially put yourself into an isolated situation, and the result will be that the road becomes more and more difficult. So trying to be tough and ruthless will eventually lead to failure.
However, if people strive for strength in self-cultivation, they will no longer pursue superiority over others, but self-transcendence. Over time, people will become perfect and strong through continuous self-cultivation. This kind of strength is what Zengzi, Mencius and Confucius told Zhong Yu. It is what a gentleman should try his best to cherish, maintain and pursue.
It can be seen that the true strength of a person is the maturity of the heart, the growth of the character, the tempering of the will, and the enhancement of confidence.
Since ancient times, none of the emperors, generals or ministers started from self-reliance and self-reliance and eventually became sages. They all have some methods of self-reliance and self-reliance, so they can be independent, fearless and unwavering.
When Zeng Guofan was in the capital, he especially liked to confront famous and high-ranking people. He always had a maverick, unafraid of violence, and undominated spirit.
Later, after many things, I gradually realized the way of heaven and earth, and understood that in everything you do, you should be both hard and soft, and you should not be partial. If you are too soft, you will become sluggish, and if you are too strong, you will break.
The word "hard" here does not mean to be violent and tough, but to be strong and confident; the word "soft" here does not mean to be humble and weak, but to be humble and humble.
Be strong when doing things for the public, and be humble when striving for fame and profit; be strong when starting a family business, and be humble when maintaining a stable business; be strong when going out to socialize with others, and be humble when you go home to enjoy life with your wife and children.
If, on the one hand, you build a successful career and enjoy a good reputation outside, on the other hand, you buy land and build a house, and you are coveting a solid family fortune, then both of them are showing signs of being full, and you have no intention of retreating at all, and it will not last long. .
Strength and humility are two different concepts. How to grasp this balance requires serious consideration and careful consideration. But the two are not contradictory. If handled properly, they will complement each other.
Zeng Guofan wrote to his ninth brother Zeng Guoquan, hoping that he would work hard to get things done, and advised him to retire as soon as possible when a good opportunity comes in the future.
Zeng Guofan believes that whether it is cultivating oneself, managing one's family, or governing a country and the world, the two words "bright" and "strong" are fundamental, and one must maintain a stubborn character. As a man, you cannot do anything in the world without ambition, and you cannot succeed without determination.
It was under the control of this belief that Zeng Guofan formed a resolute and stubborn character, which made him full of confidence and perseverance in the ups and downs of crises, healed the wounds after trauma, and continued as always. Climbing.
Zeng Guofan went out to lead the army as a minister. At the beginning, it can be said that he had neither territory nor food and salary, so he relied on others for everything. And he is a person who works seriously, works hard to the end, and is not afraid of hardships and dangers. He is at odds with local officials and often conflicts. Coupled with the repeated defeats in the initial battles with the Taiping Army, this made his situation even worse.
However, under this very unfavorable situation, he fought wits and courage with his political opponents to survive in the cracks, and on the other hand insisted on a desperate struggle with the Taiping Army. In this dual struggle, This made him a strong character who refused to admit defeat throughout his life.
Not only Zeng Guofan, many accomplished people have the character of refusing to admit defeat.
Studying history makes people wise. From these great men, we must know that a person must have ambition, perseverance, the quality of never admitting defeat, strong determination, and perseverance. . Only in this way can you always be invincible, continue to move towards success, and achieve your own beautiful life.