Behavior of Winners - Learn from Confucius

Successful people behave differently from the common people. Winners act differently from the losers. Here is some guidelines from Confucius about how wise gentleman shall behave. Does the list give you some new pointers to improve your behavior?

孔子曰：「君子有九思：Wise Gentleman has nine considerations:

1. 視思明，See with clarity.
   Enterpreneurs have special keen eyes to spot the opportunites for new business whereever and whenever they make visits. They notice the difficulties that workers have in doing their jobs. The makeshifts temporary solutions to make the job easier. The environment noices and cleanliness where the job was performed. The frequent stoppages and interruptions. For many people, they could not even notice the new hairdo or new dress that their spouses have put on!
2. 聽思聰，Listen with understanding.
   Listening is not just about paying attention to what is said. It is also about hearing what are not said and the real meaning for the speech. If there be any lack of understanding, it will be good to ask to clarify if possible. 
3. 色思溫，Facial Expression is to be gentle and welcoming.
   It is easy to be rude to people. Just give them some faces or looks. A smile is very attractive. 
4. 貌思恭，Manners must be respectful.
   Giving respect begats respect. If you show respects to others, others are more willing to teach and guide you.
5. 言思忠，Speech with integrity/honesty.
   Praising others are good but it should be done with sincerity and truthfully. Otherwise, the praises without sincerity actually become insults. It is easy for people to tell. Even though we are encouraged to tell the truth and be honest, we must know how to cover the truth with grace. Truth could be cutting and hence when we speak it, it has not be done in love. 
6. 事思敬，Work with excellence(respect for the work)
   There is the saying that any task worth doing is worth doing it well. The pursue of excellence is the foundation for all great work.
7. 疑思問，Ask when in doubts (don't blur through it）
   If there by any doubt or lack of clarity in our thought, then we should ask questions to get the right answers. Not asking because of loss of face or mere laziness show our lack of learning and improvement.
8. 忿思難，When angry, consider the potential bad consequences before blowing up.
   It is easy to let it out and let the other have it when we are angry. It takes great self control to hold our our outburst and use it as a starting point to find out. Emotion acts as your emotional “sensors”. They are to be indicators of reality, not fabricators or framers of reality. ... Ravi Zacharias.
9. 見得思義。When seeing profits, consider getting them righteously」
   When offered an opportunity, it is easy for us to jump at it and take advantages of. But we must consider the rightfulness of doing it first. Profits from short-cuts, cheating, beating the laws are but temporary. The consequences on self and related others could be worse in the longer term. The best way to make money is to make them righteously. It will be long term and you can sleep peacefully.

If there be one word that unit the nine considerations, it is about taking interests to know more about whatever you may find yourself in. Having the interest to know more about things and people will enrich not just your knowledge but also the people relationships. You interests in others triggered corrsesponding interests in you by the others.

Hope you pick up some pointers for improving yourself.

See also: Communication According to Zeng Zi

and for more Chinese Wisdom see Ancient Chinese Wisdom

Lim Liat (c) 10 Apr 14

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