People with a simple mind are destined to be manipulated by others.

Our life’s ups and downs are somewhat influenced by external factors, but most importantly, they are caused by our own thinking patterns.

Most people spend every day just focusing on money, constantly chasing trends, hoping to seize an opportunity that will make them rich.

Unfortunately, they rarely seriously consider the bigger picture.

No matter who you are, no matter how impressive you seem, everyone has their own limitations.

The sooner you realize this and understand these limitations, the better you might do in life.

1. Everyone is a fool

As the saying goes, “The person involved is confused, while outsiders see clearly.” This is very true.

Many times, from an outsider’s perspective, we think others’ decisions are wrong. But that’s only because we’re not the main character in their story.

Many people are familiar with Li Ao, who wrote many articles about children’s education.

But after he passed away, his children got into legal disputes.

The goal?

It was all about fighting over the inheritance.

Years ago, Li Zhou worked for a very successful boss during a booming industry period, so he was making good money.

Once he had money, he became arrogant, blindly expanded, and quickly burned through his funds.

From an outsider’s perspective, anyone could point out what was wrong.

But when you see a large amount of cash in the account, it’s hard not to get carried away, thinking you’re the greatest in the world.

People find it very hard to admit they are fools.

When things go wrong, they usually blame others or fate, saying they just had bad luck.

But honestly, even if you know a lot of truths, without personal experience, it’s hard to truly understand them deeply.

2. Admit your own incompetence

Blaming others is easy; admitting your own incompetence is the hardest part.

A friend of mine is quite successful. His catchphrase is: “If this year I don’t feel like last year’s fool, then I’m truly stupid.”

Success depends not only on effort but also on catching the right timing.

Take recent education reforms as an example. Extracurricular training was once highly sought after by capital investors, so we often see their ads everywhere.

But now, even companies like New Oriental have seen their market value plummet to disastrous levels.

Is it because Yu Minhong’s ability is lacking?

Definitely not. It’s just that he was caught up in the tide of history and became a casualty of the era’s change.

Sometimes, you really have to believe in luck.

Many things aren’t guaranteed success just through effort alone.

Of course, if New Oriental had accumulated early capital and then ventured into high-tech fields, their situation might be much better now.

But when everything is smooth sailing, it’s hard to notice the risks.

People, after all, have significant limitations.

For ordinary people, it’s the same.

Li Zhou’s high school classmate worked at an education company and reached a senior position.

But due to the pandemic, their performance declined sharply. They thought they could hold on until this year for a turnaround.

Unexpectedly, the education reform hit again, and hope seemed lost.

And those who think they can just work hard at their jobs and stay employed for life are really naive.

They might suddenly lose their job one day.

The world changes very quickly; nothing lasts forever.

3. The other side of the world

We have to admit that most of the information we see in real life is filtered and selected by others.

In simple terms, it’s what others want you to see.

History, in everyone’s mind, should be very real, fair, and objective.

But think from another angle: the people who wrote history are like today’s editors. Even if they want to tell the truth, can they pass the review?

History enthusiasts will notice that even those who usurped the throne often boast about their achievements and use many events to justify their legitimacy and justice.

Like Zhu Di, who usurped the throne himself, yet claimed that the emperor was in danger, so he had to step in.

As the saying goes, history is like a girl dressed up by others—if you have absolute power, you can make her look however you want.

From a certain perspective, all these things are reasonable.

Why?

Because everyone makes decisions based on their own interests.

If you were to decide the situation Zhu Di faced, you’d probably make the same choice.

Would you just say, “I started the war solely to become emperor”?

Obviously not! No one would be that naive.

Although the world isn’t as truthful as it seems, most people don’t have the chance to leave a mark in history, so they just focus on living well.

Just don’t be easily fooled.

People with simple minds often become cannon fodder, used as pawns by others.