What was fortune?
Two equally impoverished youths—decades later, one became a millionaire while the other was a beggar on the streets. No one would think the beggar had better luck than the millionaire.
When narrow paths met on a steep, straight mountain trail, the brave would charge straight ahead, while the timid would lose their footing and fall. Clearly, the brave possessed greater fortune.
What was the essence of fortune?
Fortune was not some illusory, intangible thing. It was thought, it was intent, it was an invisible force.
Two scholars entered under the same master at the same time, under identical conditions. The one willing to work hard would certainly achieve better results than the lazy one.
The spirit of striving and struggling was itself a kind of fortune.
An experienced elder would surely understand this principle: so long as a timid junior was given more encouragement, his confidence could be awakened.
In desperate straits, people often created miracles. Many things were not beyond our ability; rather, we simply lacked the confidence to believe we could accomplish them.
A person's positive thoughts would drive him to work hard, allowing him to make changes more efficiently and thereby forge his own success.
That was the fortune a person created for himself.
Yet the power of such fortune was very slight, and easily disturbed.
This was easy enough to understand.
For example, a very diligent person might wish to achieve a certain goal, only to repeatedly fall short at the last step because of interference from others.
Actions sprang from thought. Under order, everyone had their own motives for everything they did.
Positive thoughts directed toward oneself were good fortune. One's own efforts were good fortune; the appreciation and patronage of others were good fortune. A beauty's favor was called peach blossom