Summary of the Key Points
This article breaks away from the common clichés of motivational self-help and uses down-to-earth personal experiences combined with biological principles to expose the self-deception that has plagued generations: the illusion that “I just haven’t put in enough effort, otherwise I would have succeeded long ago.” It explains the origins of this illusion and its hidden costs, and finally offers practical solutions. The article emphasizes that the vast majority of people will remain ordinary throughout their lives. The sooner one accepts this fact, the more they can avoid unnecessary internal strife and achieve tangible results in life.
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Simplified Explanation of Each Point
1. The belief that “lack of effort leads to falling behind” is essentially a form of self-deception with no real cost
You’ve probably heard parents complain about their children being “smart but unwilling to study,” and you’ve probably comforted yourself by thinking, “If only I had studied harder back then, I would have gotten into a top university.” Why has this narrative persisted for decades? Because it seems too “profitable” in the short term: you don’t have to make any effort or endure the frustration of failing despite your best attempts, and you can easily maintain the facade that you’re just not using your full potential. However, this is a losing strategy. You will never truly discover your limits or take steps to improve your weaknesses. It’s like many retail investors who never reflect on their lack of financial knowledge or timing skills; they simply say, “If only I hadn’t been greedy and sold my stocks earlier.” Repeating this cycle will never lead to success. Deceiving yourself with the excuse of “lack of effort” might work for a while, but over the long term, all the things you didn’t do will catch up with you.
2. Why do you constantly imagine a “better version of yourself.”
This is a survival mechanism ingrained in our genes. The prefrontal cortex of the brain constantly imagines a perfect version of you—one who is an excellent chef, a brilliant writer, or a high-income employee. Comparing this imaginary self with the real you who is less capable naturally leads to anxiety. This “survival alarm” was designed in ancient times when humans needed to work harder to store food and resources for the winter. But in today’s world, where food and shelter are not a concern, this alarm remains active, sending false signals like “You’re about to be eliminated.” This fear is misplaced and applies to modern fears such as not having a house, not making enough money, or feeling inferior to others. Often, this anxiety is just a misinterpretation by the brain.
3. Using “imagined success” to alleviate anxiety is the most costly form of self-investment
When faced with this anxiety, most people don’t try to solve the problems but instead use fantasies to deceive their brains, thinking, “If only I had started a business, I would be a millionaire by now,” or “If only I had pursued that relationship, I would be married and have children.” This approach is like investing all your valuable time, energy, and attention in a non-existent project with no real return. Imagining a million-dollar annual income 100 times is less useful than spending two hours learning a skill to earn a small income. Many people realize in middle age that they wasted years on these illusions, achieving nothing tangible.
4. Accepting your ordinariness is the best way to manage risk in life
Some might think that accepting one’s ordinariness means giving up on striving for success. However, this is a misunderstanding. The article provides two examples of people in the media industry: one who thought they were destined for greatness but eventually gave up after facing challenges, and another who started by accepting their limitations and set achievable goals, such as gaining 10,000 followers and earning 3,000 in ad revenue per month. Even without reaching a million followers, this person still earns a steady income. In finance, it’s the same principle—by acknowledging your limitations and focusing on achievable goals, you can achieve better long-term results than those who chase unrealistic short-term opportunities. Investing in broad-based indices, for example, is a more reliable strategy.
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Please note that this translation aims to convey the essence of the original Chinese analysis while adapting the language to fit the English context and financial journalism style.