1, average talent
Ancient people embarked on a glorious road, and the Zeng family was no exception. Zeng Guofan's father failed in the scholar exam of 17, so he pinned his hopes on Zeng Guofan.
However, Zeng Guofan 14 years old began to take part in the county test, and failed for seven times in a row. It was not until the age of 23 that he won a scholar, and he won a prize in the second year. Then I took the exam for five years before I won the Jinshi.
Compared with other historical celebrities, Zeng Guofan is obviously stupid, because many celebrities are young and famous and took the Jinshi exam early. Zeng Guofan used it for more than ten years, and he repeatedly lost and fought.
2. Poor physical fitness
At the age of 30, he was born prematurely, and his condition was serious. He often had tinnitus, shortness of breath and fatigue, and he often vomited blood several times in the morning. I have been suffering from systemic skin diseases, abnormal itching, scratching pain, frequent insomnia and much weaker than normal people.
3. There are many shortcomings
After becoming an official in Beijing, Zeng Guofan exposed many shortcomings:
(1) impetuous and unable to sit still
Too much social time, too little reading time, playing chess and watching opera.
(2) Arrogance and poor self-cultivation.
In the first few years in Beijing, I had two fights with my friends. It was hypocritical to put a high hat on others in social occasions before.
(3) lecherous
Seeing beautiful women will pay more attention, and going to a friend's house will also visit beautiful concubines.
How did such Zeng Guofan counterattack, become a generation of sages and reach the peak of his life?
The answer is that he has changed since he was 30. I summarize the following points, which are of reference significance to us:
After thirty, he was thoroughly remoulded.
30 years old is the watershed of Zeng Guofan. He proved by his actions that an ordinary person can also counterattack and become a superman.
1, pool
Be ambitious.
After Zeng Guofan arrived in Beijing, he broadened his horizons and met many people of insight, so he decided to become a saint. From the age of 3 1, he demanded himself as a saint until he died at the age of 6 1.
2. Clumsy
Do something stupid.
Read, if you don't understand the last sentence, you won't read the next one. If you haven't finished reading one book, you won't read the next one. This is a spirit of rote memorization. It was death that made him fail many times and continue to take exams until he was admitted to Jinshi; It was this clumsy effort that helped him pacify the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, steadily and steadily, "hardened the fortress and fought a dull battle" and won step by step.
The seemingly stupid and slow achievements made Zeng Guofan, which is also worth learning from many of us. Stupidity is a practical, long-term and rote-learning spirit. Stupid to the extreme is smart, and stupid to the extreme is clever.
Step 3 be diligent
Standing at the age of 30, he decided to learn to be a saint, give himself a lesson every day, strictly implement it, and never be lazy:
First, get up early and stay in bed.
Second, sit still for an hour every day.
Third, insist on reading 20 pages a day. Read this and touch the next one.
Fourth, be careful, always be vigilant and don't talk indiscriminately, and be careful every word you say.
Five, health, control of sex, diet.
6. Always take notes, especially all kinds of enlightening and interesting things to talk with friends.
Seven, every month to complete a fixed task, that is, to complete a few established articles and poems.
Eight, practice calligraphy, practice calligraphy for half an hour after meals every day.
Nine, don't go out at night, don't go out to chat with friends when it is dark.
Step 4 be sincere
Zeng Guofan treats his superiors, friends and subordinates with sincerity regardless of their status. It is with this sincere words that Zeng Guofan got the consistent loyalty of Xiang.
Zeng Guofan's sincerity is reflected in his honesty, sincerity and sureness, that is, being honest with others, keeping his promise and never cheating. Empty is very modest, not proud of being an official, not willful, and can listen to other people's opinions. Down-to-earth means that he is not cunning, hypocritical and does not seek shortcuts. He can always do it pragmatically.
Treating people with sincerity should also be a criterion for us to treat people with things. Only by treating others sincerely can we win their respect and trust.
5. Constant
Some bad habits cannot be changed at once; Some good habits can't be formed at once. Zeng Guofan had patience and perseverance all his life. For example, if he reads a book, he can't finish reading one book and won't read the second one; If a sentence doesn't make sense, don't look at the next sentence; I can't see through it today, but I will see it tomorrow; I'm not good this year. I'll study next year.
He made up his mind to be a saint from the age of thirty-one, and persisted until his death. For decades, he set high standards for himself.
Zeng Guofan summed up his life in his later years: "A person's life is like a process of fruit ripening. Don't worry and don't slack off. People's efforts and the cultivation of the sky will make a tree grow quietly and let a person mature slowly. "
These five points are the principles that he has been practicing since he was 30 years old, which gives us great reference. People can't fight back easily, they must change and demand themselves from their thoughts and behaviors. Zeng Guofan set an example for us, which is worth learning again and again.
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