Why Do You Fail Even With the Right Direction? Ge (Revolution) Hexagram Six in the Second Place: You Just Haven’t Waited for That Day

A friend of mine who runs an education and training business predicted back in 2023 that the industry was about to undergo a seismic shift.

He was spot on — the policy winds were shifting, the customer base was changing, and sticking to the old way of doing things was bound to lead to trouble sooner or later. He held multiple internal meetings, insisting that a pivot to vocational education was non-negotiable.

But no one on his team took him seriously.

He thought everyone was being short-sighted, so he pushed the transition hard. The result? Halfway through rolling out the transformation plan, two core team members quit, and the rest were just going through the motions. In the end, the pivot failed, and the original business also suffered.

He came to me and said, "The direction was clearly right — why couldn't we pull it off?"

I told him, "Your direction was right, but your timing was off."

巳日乃革之 (On the Day of Si, Then Carry Out Revolution)

The second line of the *Revolution* Hexagram, Six in the Second Place, has this Line Text: 巳日乃革之，征吉，无咎。

"Si Day" refers to the day when conditions are fully ripe. "Nai" means "only then". Only when that day arrives should you launch the revolution — only then will moving forward be auspicious and free from blame.

Pay attention to that word "nai". It doesn't mean "immediately" or "right away" — it means "only then". That implies you have to wait.

The situation of Six in the Second Place is completely different from that of Nine at the Beginning. Nine at the Beginning is tied down and forbidden to act, while Six in the Second Place has all conditions in place and is ready to move. The difference lies in whether "Si Day" has arrived.

Wen Laoshi put it very plainly: Having the right direction but wrong timing leads to roughly the same outcome as having the wrong direction altogether.

How to Tell If "Si Day" Has Arrived

Six in the Second Place is a Yin Line in a Yin position, central and proper, and it also has Resonance with the Nine in the Fifth Place above. What does this mean? It means you are fully prepared on your end, and there is support from those above you.

Translated into real-world scenarios —

You have a clear vision of the direction: that's you being ready. Your team understands and agrees with the plan: that's the support from above echoing your efforts. Resources are in place, and external conditions are favorable: that's when timing, location, and people all align.

When these three conditions are met, that's "Si Day".

Conversely: if you're the only one in a hurry and your team is unresponsive; if you have the idea but no resources to back it up; if you can see far ahead but the people around you can't keep up — then Si Day hasn't arrived yet, and you still need to wait.

The Power of "征吉 (Advancing Brings Good Fortune)"

Once Six in the Second Place reaches Si Day, the Line Text says "征吉" — advancing forward brings good fortune.

This "good fortune" isn't the kind where you just scrape by — it's genuine, smooth-sailing good fortune. Because conditions, people's hearts, and timing are all in place, when you push the revolution forward, you'll face the least resistance and have the highest chance of success.

Wen Laoshi once said that the best time for a revolution isn't when you are ready — it's when everyone is ready.

It's useless if you're the only one who sees things clearly. You need to get all the key people to see it too. When that day comes, you won't have to push hard — everyone will follow you of their own accord.

Don't Do the Work of Six in the Second Place When You're Still at Nine at the Beginning

What's the mistake so many people make? They're still at the stage of Nine at the Beginning — conditions aren't met, people aren't on board — but they try to do what Six in the Second Place is meant to do.

The direction is indeed right, but the timing is wrong.

It's like diagnosing an illness correctly — but the patient is still too weak to handle strong medicine. If you force a heavy treatment, you won't cure the disease; you'll break the patient first.

The wisdom of Six in the Second Place is this: see the direction clearly, but also be patient enough to wait for the right timing. Your direction may be solid, but the timing of your move matters more than the direction itself.

A Final Word

The lesson from Six in the Second Place of the *Revolution* Hexagram is this: the success of a transformation depends half on direction, half on timing.

You already have the direction. Next, you just have to wait for that "Si Day".

This isn't empty waiting. While you wait, you keep your team aligned, build up your resources, and refine your strategy down to the last detail.

When the day of ripe timing arrives, you make your move — and it will be 征吉，无咎: advancing brings good fortune, with no blame.