Strong and firm is strong, brave and strong is forbearance

A strong personality is always the basic trait of a person who has achieved great things. There is nothing in the world that can be obtained easily, and it must be conquered by a strong character. This is the most basic rule of success.

Many people abandon their goals in frustration when they see signs of misfortune or failure. Successful people are determined, tenacious, and persevere until they achieve their goals.

Before a person succeeds, he is bound to encounter a lot of setbacks and even some degree of failure. When failure hits a person hard, the easiest and most logical way is to let it go, and that's what most people think and do.

In ancient and modern times, many successful people do not rely on chance or good luck, but because of their perseverance. If a person wants to achieve a great career, it is impossible to have smooth sailing.

Lack of tenacity is one of the main causes of failure and a common weakness that most people share. This weakness can be overcome with effort.

In the fierce competition, in order to succeed, the spirit of perseverance is indispensable.

Don't let external forces influence your actions, and while you have to react to the surprise of others and the competition you face, you have to move forward every day on the basis of your established approach. Nourish your strong desire with your imagination of success, let your lust burn passionately, preferably to your ass, and remind you not to sit back and wait for an opportunity when you should get up and act.

Observing Zeng Guofan's experience in acquiring a successful character, the first rule should be "perseverance". Probably if a person can't be as stoic as Zeng Guofan, he can't have tenacious strength, fight against all kinds of dangers, and fight against all kinds of people. Therefore, it is necessary to take a look at Zeng Guofan's successful experience in acquiring a successful character - "perseverance." ”

Although Zeng Guofan's life cannot be regarded as a contribution to eternity, he has also become a "great man who has not been seen in ancient and modern times", which is inseparable from the "perseverance" that he pursued throughout his life and is also admired by people.

What is a "patient"? Strong and firm is strong, brave and strong is forbearance. A gentleman is dignified, persistent, not afraid of great difficulties, and regards the white blade as if there is nothing. If you want to make immortal achievements and achieve great deeds, you can't do it with perseverance. Perseverance in battle is invincible, and etiquette is great; Invincible on the outside, great governance on the inside, and kind-hearted? This is Zeng Guofan's perseverance.

On November 27, 1854, Zeng Guofan wrote to his brothers: "Since I served as an official and handled military affairs, in recent years, I have often felt depressed in my heart, and I have always imitated my mother's fingertips to her children, saying: "There is no place to vent how much idle energy has accumulated here. "I don't remember all the things of those previous years, in February this year, under the provincial capital river, all the brave servants led by me, every time they entered the city, they would be scolded and beaten, this kind of scene was witnessed by the fourth brother and the fourth brother Ji. The voice of slander and resentment was boiling, and thousands of mouths were ridiculed and ridiculed, which was also heard by the fourth brother and Brother Ji with their own eyes. Since April, the two brothers have not been here, and the situation has become even more embarrassing. I can only endure humiliation and humiliation, and condescend to suppress my will.

Zeng Guofan's life relied on perseverance to achieve his career. When he was a teenager, he gained fame through perseverance and hard study, and achieved the rank of advancement. After middle age, he relied on "perseverance" to overcome the ordeal.

When Zeng Guofan led the troops in Jiangxi, because of the environment he was in, although he was a supervisor at that time, he actually lived in the status of a guest house, raised troops and salaries, had no real power, and had no strength, the state and county officials did not listen to him, and the governors of various provinces often embarrassed him, only Hu Linyi was sincere to help him. Although the officers and men of the Hunan army also supported him, their official ranks, some of them were higher than him, and he seemed to be a moral commander, of course, he could not withstand defeat. At this time, what did Zeng Guofan rely on? By perseverance. When his father died, he abandoned the army and returned to his hometown to mourn, and even when he wanted to retreat bravely, he patiently listened to the advice of his friends and did deep self-reflection.

Since leading the Hunan army to the east, Zeng Guofan has won and lost, and has encountered obstacles everywhere, and the reason for this is that he did not have the full trust of the Qing government and did not grant real power to the local government. At the same time, Zeng Guofan also realized that he also had many weaknesses in cultivation, and he was stubborn, pretentious, and blindly brutal in dealing with people. Later, in a letter to his younger brother, he talked about the gains brought about by the change in the way of life, and the changed way of life is nothing more than more "forbearance" in "perseverance", and the relationship between "perseverance" and "perseverance" is handled more appropriately in combination with the current situation. For this reason, he said: "My brother has asked himself that there is only one word for regret in recent years. In the past, my brother was very conceited, he could bend and stretch, he could hide it, and he saw that others were not. Since Ding Si and Wu Wu repented and realized, they knew that they had no skills, and they could see that others were good at everything. Therefore, since Wuwu has been nine years old, it is very different from before the age of forty. Those who stand up, strive for self-improvement, and stand still; Those who reach the level will work harmoniously and will work. ”

Relying on this kind of perseverance, Zeng Guofan finally got out of that hazy state of mind and got through those painful days. Therefore, Zeng Guofan in his life, especially favored "perseverance", he said: Sima Qian admired Huang Lao, admired the ranger, Ban Gu used this to ridicule him, which is true. admired the ranger, so he praised his perseverance many times. For example, Qu Yuan, Yu Qing, Tian Heng, Hou Huan, Tian Guang and Guan Gao are all such figures.

Regarding Zeng Guofan's perseverance, even Wang Yun wanted to ridicule Zeng Guofan when he wrote "Hunan Army Chronicles", but he was finally moved by it. On February 21, 1878, Yun: "Doing the "Hunan Army Chapter" can convey the painstaking efforts of Zeng Hou; His night was a dream. ...... "27th cloud: "Watching Di Gong at night, when he was in Jiangxi, it was really sad and painful, making people cry, but his suffering was self-founded, and it was useless in state affairs, and it was useless with him. And I blame his law for being punished to death, and the marquis is also angry, but he can also be to the monarch's father. Yu can't be so stupid. 'When you hear the anger of the spring breeze, your heart will break; When he saw the thief ship sailing, he wandered around the house. "The Teacher's Table" has no such pain. ”

"Perseverance" is two mysterious words, "strong" can be understood as forging ahead, standing firm but not weak; "Forbearance" can be understood as perseverance, the ability to bend and stretch, and the disregard for humiliation. Embodied in Li Hongzhang, who was deeply influenced by Zeng Guofan, the word "Jian" can reach the level of desperateness. "Desperately being an official" was a gift from Zeng Guofan to Li Hongzhang, and this theory spread far and wide, and everyone in the world thought it was vivid. The Qing History Museum set up a biography for Li Hongzhang, and also used "from strength to old age, not a day of resignation" to summarize his hard work of only wanting to rise and enter. Li Hongzhang also said when he was a teenager: "I would like to get seven glass halls, all of which have open windows and let me work in them." But after he desperately fulfilled this wish, he did not take it for granted, and desperately pursued a new goal. Zeng Guofan was very envious of Li Hongzhang's hard work, envied Li for "having the sincerity to do things, and having the capacity to do things", saying that Li was easy to succeed. The word "forbearance" on Li Hongzhang's body is connected with humiliation, although he is not flattering on the outside, but he has a majestic and luxurious demeanor. In addition to succumbing to the feudal dynasty, he also succumbed to the great powers, and if China was strong, he might really play the role of China's Bismarck. However, China was too weak for him and the forces in Shanghai to be powerless, and the Westernization Movement he spearheaded could not make China strong. Therefore, Li Hongzhang's forbearance had to be endured to the point of being willing to play the clown, and in 1862 Li said of his foreign diplomacy: "When mingling with outsiders, whenever they are very talkative, they have nothing to do with the ruffians." This set of magic weapons Li Hongzhang has been used for 40 years. The First Sino-Japanese War was defeated, and his great foreign military cause was ruined in one fell swoop, and hundreds of millions of Chinese people were eager to sleep on his skin and eat his flesh. It is said that he did not die of anger, and he should have been sick with anger, but he still went to Japan to beg for peace. In Shimonoseki, he was shot by a Japanese ronin and had blood on his head, but even so, he still smiled and begged Japanese negotiator Hirobumi Ito and others to reduce the amount of reparations. This kind of forbearance with nine folded arms and three folds is very human, no wonder in some biographies he is written as a cold-blooded animal. As late as 1902, he said: "In my dealings with foreigners, no matter what, I will only play ruffian with him." "The ruffian cavity is the Turkish language of Anhui, that is, the meaning of the oil cavity is slippery. To endure this pathetic and hateful tone, can only be described by the word "deformed".

Don't make senseless sacrifices like eggs hitting stones

No matter how great a person is, he is always small. In a person's life, there are often more adversities and fewer good times. For a person to make a difference, he must endure the torment of adversity.

In the face of adversity, Zeng Guofan first acknowledged the reality, preserved himself, and did not make senseless sacrifices like eggs hitting stones. He said: I specifically quoted the "negative hexagram" of "Zhou Yi" in the "Miscellaneous Works", and I have an understanding of the hexagram of this hexagram that is different from ordinary people: the cause cannot be developed, and the road is blocked, because the traitors who behave improperly are in charge. Traitors are in power, and those who are morally noble and stick to the right path cannot be eaten. At this kind of moment, you always lose more and gain less when you do something.

If the traitor is in power, the villain will gain power, and he will not be able to govern and harmonize, and his career will suffer. Decent and capable people cannot show their talents and make a difference; If you speak out or try to make a difference, not only will it not help, but you will be framed. The major principles and policies cannot be changed, and we have to make some remedies in the small areas of specific work. Losses are inevitable. However, if people blindly obey, they will become slaves to adversity, and they will not be able to improve their own environment, let alone do something. Therefore, from the perspective of acknowledging reality and understanding current affairs, Zeng Guofan deduced the second coping strategy for adversity: practicing internal skills and seeking self-improvement. In December 1866, in a letter to his family, he counted the examples of his success through many adversities: "Worrying is the tempering of heroes, and the success of jade." Li Shenfu never said that he was angry, blindly endured, and Xu Tu was self-improving, because of the proverb: "A good man knocks out his teeth and swallows blood", these two words are the key to gritting his teeth and making up his mind for the rest of his life. Yu Gengxu Xinhai was scolded by the magnates of Beijing, Jiayin was scolded by Changsha, Yimao Bingchen was scolded by Jiangxi, and the defeat of Yuezhou, Jingjiang, and Hukou were defeated. Zeng Guofan said that "there are many times when he breaks out his front teeth, and there is no time when he does not swallow it with blood", which shows his perseverance and perseverance. Only when he suffers setbacks and suffers, his moral career also grows from time to time. In this regard, Zeng Guofan said: "Eat a trench, grow a wisdom." "All my life has grown in times of frustration and humiliation. He also said: I ate a lot of trenches for the rest of my life, and I didn't get along with the ugly June. For the first time, he was born in the first year, and he hung a card on the learning platform, and he was responsible for the shallowness of his literature and science. Second, in the year of Gengxu, he talked about sparsely, and drew a picture inside, which was very ugly, and no one in Jiuqing did not sneer and thin it. Third, after the defeat of Jinggang in Yuezhou in the year of Jiayin, he lived in the Gaofeng Temple and was despised by the gentry of Tong Province. Fourth, after the defeat of Jiujiang in the second year, Xun Yan walked into Jiangxi, and participated in Fu Zhen, Bingchen was trapped in Nanchang, and everyone in the official gentry smiled. Eating these four trenches, there is no place to be ashamed, so although he steals the name recently, he does not dare to boast of his ability and dare not be self-righteous. Fear of people's words and fear of the destiny of heaven are all obtained from tempering.

Regarding the truth that should be observed in adversity, Zeng Guofan said: Just like "Ximing" said, "There is no place to hide, only waiting to be cooked to death, this is the obedience of Shen Sheng, the son of Jin Xian." Only Birch can bravely admit reality and obey orders." These words are all too true.

Challenge setbacks with a strong mentality

William James, a famous American personality psychologist, once said: "The world is made up of two types of people: one is the strong-willed and the other is the weak-minded." The latter always avoids and cowers in the face of difficulties and setbacks. In the face of criticism, they are extremely vulnerable and discouraged, and only pain and defeat await them, but this is not the case for the strong-willed. They come from all walks of life, manual laborers, businessmen, mothers, fathers, teachers, old people, and young people, but they all have an innate strength in their hearts. The so-called strong trait refers to the inner courage to bear external tests in the face of all difficulties. ”

If you think so, if you also have a negative and repulsive view of the power of a positive mindset, it means that you don't fully understand the nature of the power of a positive mindset. A person with a positive mindset does not deny the existence of negative factors, he just learns not to indulge in them. A positive mindset requires you to learn to think positively in a moment in your life, and positive thinking is a mindset that enables us to seek the best and most beneficial outcome in the face of a bad situation. In other words, there is still hope in the pursuit of a certain goal, even if it is difficult. It also turns out that when you look on the bright side, you have the potential to succeed. Positive thinking is a deliberate process as well as a subjective choice.

That being the case, do you choose a positive or negative mindset? If you don't choose the former and hold on to it, the latter will be forced to come to your door automatically, and there will be no compromise between the two. Well, you have to choose one of the two.

One might retort, "Is it really true to overcome and stop weaknesses in character?" I have encountered many difficulties and setbacks in my life, and at these times, I have read a lot of books on the power of positive attitudes, but they still can't solve the problems. Someone else might say, "Yes, I don't think that's working." My career is at a low ebb, and I've tried a positive mindset, but my business is still not improving. Positive thoughts can't change the facts, otherwise how could I still fail? If you don't admit it, then you're like an ostrich that just buries its head in the sand and refuses to face reality. ”

The allusion to "If you lose your horse, you won't know if you are blessed" is to warn people that failure can sometimes bring unexpected success, or that loss can also bring unexpected gains. A passage in "Caigen Tan" is more explicit: In adversity, there are needles and medicine stones all over the body, and the stone is rigid and unconscious; In a good situation, there are all the swords and spears in front of you, and you don't know it. That is to say, it is necessary to have a dialectical attitude towards failure and success, which can often be transformed into each other. Because a person lives in a difficult and difficult environment, and the things around him are all like medical equipment, it will unconsciously cause people to have a sense of crisis, so they will unconsciously temper their will, thus bringing people to success; On the contrary, if a person lives in a carefree and prosperous situation, it is equivalent to having knives and guns all around you, which unconsciously corrodes people's body and mind and leads to failure. This tells people that when they fail, it is conducive to rising up, and the next step is to succeed; When you succeed, it leads to pride, and the next step is to fail. Therefore, success and failure can be transformed into each other, and do not be pessimistic and disappointed when encountering failure.

Tsang was very insightful about this, not only was he able to face failures and setbacks correctly, but when his relatives encountered setbacks, he also enlightened them with this attitude with profound insight. For example, when his younger brother suffered a setback in the scientific examination, he wrote a letter saying: Brother Hong is unfavorable in the examination, and it is not worth caring about the slightest gain or loss. It is more appropriate to have a name on the reissued case file and not to retest. If you can be satisfied with this year's college examination, it will be a real blessing; Even if you are not admitted, since one person in the family has been admitted last year, there is a little setback this year, which is a natural reason for ups and downs, and there is no need to be depressed and sad. Brother Zhi's calligraphy is very good, but according to the convention, those who have not passed the annual examination are not eligible for selection, and if the younger brother goes to refer to the selection, he will definitely be criticized by his peers and be looked down upon. Even if you failed to be selected, others did not think that you did not meet the conditions and failed, but thought that you were removed because of your poor writing. Since I know that it is not conventional to refer to it, why should I be criticized by others? My brother wrote to me asking if I should refer to it, and my opinion was that it should be based on the main field of the scientific examination, and if the main field could take the first-class supplement, then when the examination was selected, it was already entered as a formal student; If you can't make up for it, but use it as an increase in life to be selected for the exam, then you don't need to refer to it at all, so as not to attract jealousy in vain. Zeng Guofan himself is also a person who focuses on the overall situation and can be indifferent to small failures or setbacks. After the capture of Tianjing, the Zeng brothers also attracted jealousy after they became famous. Especially the sharp-edged Zeng Guoquan, as if he can't calm the anger of the public without returning home to "recuperate". Zeng Guofan said to him: Our brothers have taken all the credit that is difficult to find in the world, and I am afraid that this history will be recorded in history. As for the slander, it is no longer important, let it be left alone. After Zeng Guoquan returned to his hometown, he wrote a letter a day, telling thousands of instructions, mainly emphasizing that he should stay in the green mountains and not be afraid of running out of firewood. With Zeng Guofan's persuasion and encouragement, Zeng Guoquan's mood also improved, and he soon went out of the mountain.

However, a truly visionary person still maintains hope and enthusiasm, perseverance, and perseverance in the midst of setbacks and failures. Or it is to be far-sighted and far-sighted in victory, and try to avoid defeats and setbacks, Zeng Guofan can be described as such a person.

When encountering setbacks, it is probably the habit of many people to give up the idea of acquiring a successful character. In the face of setbacks, we must have a strong mentality. Zeng Guofan never bowed his head in the face of setbacks, so he could come out.

No matter how difficult it is, then go forward, and then work harder

A person with a fearful personality can only be defeated by difficulties, and this truth does not need to be explained. People have perseverance and everything can be done, and people have no perseverance and everything will collapse, and the whole secret of a successful character is only 8 words: perseverance and perseverance.

In adversity, we must cultivate the nerves that are not afraid of difficulties and overcome difficulties, and a strong will can only be cultivated in difficult situations.

Dilemmas can test a person's qualities. If a person dares to face difficulties head-on and actively seek solutions to problems, then sooner or later, he will always succeed. If a person is frightened by difficulties, discouraged, and does nothing, then he will not come out of the shadow of failure even if the difficult situation is eliminated.

Successful people are not afraid of adversity. In the face of long-term difficulties, they either worked silently or waved their flags. With an invertible nerve and a fearless courage, they brace their spirits and work hard with indignation in an attempt to break through the cage of predicament as soon as possible.

Their results are not so much a victory of speed, but a victory of will and perseverance!

A strong character can help you get through difficult times, and a tough nerve can put you through the trials. The road to success is never smooth, stand up in setbacks, rebuild in the ruins, as long as the heart does not die, the will is not extinguished, you are a tough guy who stands up to the sky.

Perseverance is the characteristic of all people who achieve great things. They may lack good qualities, they may have various weaknesses and flaws, but they have a resilient character. This is an absolutely indispensable nurture for all those who have achieved great things. Hardship is not enough to discourage them, and hardship is not enough to discourage them. No matter what the situation. They are always persistent and patient, because tenacity is their character.

Zeng Guofan said that the success of his life "is all when he is humiliated and frustrated". In the fifth year of Tongzhi, he wrote a letter to his second son Zeng Jihong and expounded the truth that "if you can get through the extremely difficult situation, it is difficult for the British". He said: Ordinary people will stop when they encounter difficulties and setbacks, "If you get through this hurdle, you can make less progress, and then you can make progress again, and then you can work hard, and you will have a day of prosperity and diligence." Through the revelation of the successes and failures of heroes in ancient and modern times, he came to the conclusion: "There are times when everything is extremely difficult and difficult, and the one who can get through is a hero." "Zeng Guofan was trapped and humiliated all his life, and he lost his teeth and swallowed blood for a long time, and there were many times, especially in Jiangxi.

Why did Zeng Guofan "break out of his teeth" and move forward bravely? Because he has a secret in his heart to acquire a successful character - he is not afraid to walk on a single-plank bridge.

Zeng Guofan led the troops with the title of empty squire, and relied on Hunan's strong support in the past, because his reputation and status were first-class in his hometown, so things were still smoother. After arriving in Jiangxi, he had to rely on Jiangxi for his needs. Although Chen Qimai, the governor of Jiangxi, lacks the same talent as Luo Bingzhang, he is far inferior to Luo in terms of bearing, and even stubborn and self-serving. Zeng Guofan, as in the past, inevitably interfered in the administration of the province when he encountered trouble. In this way, the contradiction between the two became more and more acute. As Zeng Guofan said: Chen encountered "many constraints, and he refused to pay as an excuse"; "The Chinese military bureaucrats of all provinces have a record and a language inspection." "Whoever is a gentleman who is comfortable with me may be blamed for it." Chen didn't even go through Zeng, and directly commanded and dispatched Luo Zenan and other troops; And the order changes every day, making people at a loss. The governor is like this, and the officials at all levels under him naturally accept the will, and they are also in trouble with the Hunan army everywhere. Zeng Guofan persuaded donations, "the state and county accused the donors of being false, and the donors were interrogated."

In this case, Zeng Guofan not only forced Chen Qimai to pay more military salaries as much as possible, such as playing the right to support Jiangxi Cao's silver, but also contacted the gentry of the province in many ways, such as appointing Liu Yuxun to run the Jiangxi Water Division, and Huang Zantang to preside over the province's donation. Huang is a former squire of the Criminal Department, a highly respected and the leader of the province's scholars, Chen Qimai cannot but give in to him, while Huang is dedicated to relying on the Hunan army to protect the safety of his hometown, and he also tries his best to help the Hunan army. By the end of October, donations had reached 800,000 or 900,000 taels, and the actual expenditure had reached more than 600,000 taels. He used these funds to catch up with ships and recruit water warriors, and soon made the inland water division a large fleet with more than 3,000 people and more than 200 ships. In addition, it also recruited more than 4,000 Pingjiang Yong with Jiangxi, of which 3,000 were led by Li Yuandu, and the remaining more than 1,000 people belonged to the Jiangxi Provincial Army, which was led by Liu Xiluo of the former De'an Zhi County. Together with the 8,500 troops of Taqib and Luo Zenan, the Hunan army in Jiangxi was as many as 16,000 people. At the same time, Zeng Guofan secretly collected Chen Qimai's materials, and in June, he specially participated in the performance. After Wen Jun took over as governor, tensions eased somewhat, but they were still full of contradictions, and Tsang's situation did not improve much. Wang Ju, who had a lot of grievances, also said, "If Di Shuai suffers, it is really anxious." "It's really not easy for Di Shuai to be in a difficult place, and the most difficult person is still a piece of money." The reason why Zeng Guofan was in such a situation was that he only had military power, and could not raise salaries like Hu Linyi with the power of governor to rule the locality. As Zeng Guofan said: "The military is not powerful or powerful, and the younger brother is in a position of no power and power, and he often takes the suspicion of fighting for power, and he depends on people every year, and is stubborn and ineffective." ”

In terms of military affairs, Zeng Guofan was also caught in a predicament from knowing that he was passive and could not get out of it. In mid-February, Emperor Xianfeng twice ordered Zeng Guofan to return to Wuhan, and even ordered Zeng himself to lead the army to help. Zeng Guofan replied: "On the general trend of the world, Wuchang is based on the upper reaches of Jinling, which is a place that must be fought for in ancient times; On the common way of marching, there are thieves from top to bottom, and the army is trapped in the middle, which is not a perfect strategy. At the same time, objectively, it was very difficult to fight for Wuhan with the Taiping Army. Because this is necessitative, "withdraw the siege army under Jiujiang City to the west; Moreover, the military salary was insufficient, Jiangxi Yong raised the opening fee, and the Hubei Hulin Wing Army was in arrears and caused an accident, causing the troops to mutiny. ”

Taqib's death made Zeng Guofan unable to get out of the passive situation for a while. More importantly, the Taqib Army, the first strong force of the Hunan Army, has since been separated from Germany, and its vigor has been greatly reduced. The morale of the Neihu sailors was also greatly affected. After suffering this series of blows, Zeng Guofan faced a new problem. In mid-July, after recovering Yining, Luo Zenan wrote to Zeng Guofan to advocate for Hubei, fight for Wuhan, and take this as his own post. He was so active, although he had an overall view of the war, but he also hoped to get rid of Jiangxi's predicament and seek greater development opportunities for himself. Before that, after Hu Linyi, Luo Bingzhang also played Luo Jun to aid Hubei. This is undoubtedly a huge pressure on Zeng Guofan. At that time, there were only four armies under the direct jurisdiction of Zeng Guofan, namely Ta, Xiao, Luo, and Li, and the first two armies were much different from what they used to be, and their combat effectiveness was sharply reduced; Li Yuandu's army was newly built, without a major war, and its combat effectiveness was not strong, only Luo Zenan's army was in a prosperous period. In this way, the westward transfer of the Luo army will make Zeng Guofan's situation even more difficult due to the loss of his only strong force. If the transfer is not allowed, not only will Wuhan be regained indefinitely, but the war situation in Hubei will be slim, and it will even endanger Hunan; Moreover, it will make Luo and Hu Geng angry and make a big deal about Luo's rise, which will lead to the intensification of internal contradictions. After weighing the two phases, Zeng Guofan finally reluctantly ordered Luo Zenan's army to come to the west in August, and sent two additional battalions of the original Taqibu army, Peng Sanyuan and Pu Chengyao, to accompany him. After the main force of 5,000 people marched west, Zeng Guofan was no longer able to make an attempt to reverse the passive situation, so he could only stick to the changes, and the situation was even more difficult.