Words of wisdom while you’re thinking about giving up – 行百里者半九十

Consider a situation like this: after a long journey of pursuit, you’re all exhausted and beaten. You feel that you’re so close to give up. However, the hope of finally reaching your long time goal has not died out.

Do you feel that you’ve almost given up only the thought of “what if?” still keeps you going?

If you’re struggling in a similar situation, please listen to this piece of advice from the old Chinese wisdoms: 行(walk)百里(hundred miles)者(person)半(half)九十(ninety). Literally it  means “ninety mile is only half of a hundred-mile journey”. It actually means to sustain your efforts when your task is almost completed is actually the most significant, and most difficult step to succeed.

It’s so true that the few people who succeeded in the last are always the ones that kept going while feeling the same frustration and desperation as others do. Most people give up after they’ve invested lots of efforts in their pursuit without seeing success. They don’t know they’ve already reached 90% of their journey and are that close to their final destiny. However, the most difficult part of the journey is near the very end while significant change is about to happen.

These words of wisdom was given to me by my Chinese teacher in middle school. They have inspired me for years and I hope they will do the same to you.

    行百里者半九十

    xíng Bǎilǐ zhě bàn jiǔshí