Why Can’t You Make Money the Harder You Try? Hexagram Heng, Nine in the Second Place: 悔亡 (Remorse Disappears) — Steadiness Banishes Regret

Have you ever noticed,

that people who actually make good money

never seem to be in a rush?

On the contrary, those who yell about making money every day,

hunt for projects nonstop, and chase every hot trend

end up earning almost nothing

and even lose a lot of money.

Why is that?

Because wealth, or *Wealth* fortune,

works differently from other things.

The more anxious you are, the farther it stays.

The calmer and steadier you are, the more it comes to you.

This is exactly what the Nine in the Second Place of the *Duration* Hexagram teaches us. This line is the secret of "steadiness" when it comes to wealth.

悔亡 (Remorse Disappears): When Regrets Fade, Wealth Flows Smoothly

Nine in the Second Place is the second line of the *Duration* Hexagram.

It is a Yang Line occupying a Yin position, and sits in the central place of the lower trigram.

It holds the central position, but its position is not proper.

The Line Text has only two characters: 「悔亡。」 (Remorse Disappears.)

Regret fades away, and all sense of missed opportunity is gone.

Why does the Nine in the Second Place bring "Remorse Disappears"?

Because it holds the central position.

What does "central" mean?

It means being impartial, not going too far or falling short, neither reckless nor overly cautious.

It means staying on the right path and keeping to the right rhythm.

Applied to wealth,

it means you have found a rhythm that suits you.

You no longer dream of getting rich overnight,

no longer chase every trend or look for shortcuts everywhere,

and you are no longer anxious or impatient.

You focus steadily on your own work

and earn the money you deserve.

At this point,

all the past regrets and what-ifs

gradually fade away.

Why?

Because you are on the right path.

When the path is right, there is no regret.

When the rhythm is right, there is no sense of loss.

But the Nine in the Second Place has one trait—

a Yang line in a Yin position, so its place is not proper.

What does that mean?

It means even though your rhythm for making money is correct,

your position, your methods, your chosen track

may not yet be fully aligned.

Put simply,

you are still halfway up the mountain,

not yet at the summit.

Don’t rush.

Keep moving forward.

Once your position is proper,

your wealth will naturally rise to the next level.

Wen Laoshi often says

there are three stages to making money:

first find the right direction, then find the right rhythm, and finally find the right position.

If the direction is wrong, the harder you work, the poorer you get.

If the rhythm is wrong, you can’t keep the money you earn.

If the position is wrong, all your ability goes to waste.

What stage is the Nine in the Second Place?

You already have the right direction, you’ve found your rhythm,

but your position still isn’t quite there.

Keep moving steadily.

Don’t rush, don’t get cocky, don’t mess around.

When you reach that position,

the money will come on its own.

Why the More You Rush to Make Money, the Less You Earn

You’ve definitely heard this saying:

Wealth does not enter an anxious door.

Why?

Because when you’re anxious, your mind isn’t clear.

When your mind isn’t clear, you make bad decisions.

When you make bad decisions, you lose money.

Specifically,

anxiety makes you prone to three mistakes.

The first mistake: reckless investing.

Today a friend says this project makes money, so you invest.

Tomorrow you see someone else got rich doing that, so you jump in too.

You invest in whatever is trending, and chase whatever promises quick profits.

What’s the result?

Every investment loses money,

every venture ends in a loss.

In the end, you don’t make any money

and you even lose your principal.

Why does this happen?

Because you’re in a hurry,

you don’t have the patience to research, judge, or wait for the right opportunity.

You believe everything other people say,

and you join every crowd that forms.

You think they’re opportunities,

but they’re all traps.

The second mistake: job-hopping recklessly.

You always think the grass is greener on the other side.

You’re convinced the next job will pay better,

the next company will have better prospects,

the next industry will be more profitable.

You quit after a year or so,

hopping from job to job.

It seems like your salary goes up a little each time,

but what’s the reality?

You never put down roots in any industry,

and you never build core skills at any company.

Ten years go by,

and you’re still a "newcomer".

Meanwhile, people who stuck it out steadily in one place

have long become key team members or experts,

earning several times what you do.

The third mistake: being cheap in the wrong ways.

People who are in a desperate hurry to make money

are often the most reluctant to spend money.

That’s not to say frugality is bad—

it’s that they won’t spend money even when they should.

They won’t spend money on investing in themselves:

buying books, taking courses, learning new skills

all feel like a waste of money to them.

They won’t spend money on building connections:

having meals with friends, networking with peers

all feel unnecessary.

What’s the result?

Your skills don’t improve, your circle doesn’t grow,

so naturally your ways to make money get narrower.

You save small amounts of money

but lose out on big opportunities.

Remember:

Money is earned, not saved.

But it’s not earned by spending recklessly either.

Invest when you should invest, be frugal when you should be frugal.

Only when you have a clear head can you stay steady.

What Is the Right Rhythm for Making Money, According to the Nine in the Second Place of the *Duration* Hexagram?

So what exactly is the right rhythm?

How do you achieve "Remorse Disappears"?

Remember three sayings:

Earn steady money, not quick money.

Earn long-term money, not short-term money.

Earn money within your circle of competence, not money outside of it.

First: earn steady money, not quick money.

What is steady money?

It’s money you earn reliably

through your ability, your expertise, your accumulated experience.

This kind of money may come slowly,

but it’s solid, lasting, and dependable.

What is quick money?

It’s money you make all at once

through luck, riding a trend, or speculation.

This kind of money comes fast, and it goes just as fast.

Money you earn through luck

will eventually be lost through your own lack of skill.

That’s not to say you can never earn quick money—

it’s that you can’t rely on it as your main income.

Earning a little quick money once in a while is luck.

Counting on quick money every day is gambling.

Second: earn long-term money, not short-term money.

What is long-term money?

It’s money you can earn for ten years, twenty years, your whole life.

For example: your professional skills, your personal brand,

your industry resources, your reputation and connections.

These things grow more valuable with time,

and the more you build them, the more they’re worth.

What is short-term money?

It’s money you make once and then move on.

For example: jumping on a viral trend, riding a passing boom,

taking on a short-term project.

This kind of money works for a moment,

but not for a lifetime.

When the trend passes and the hype dies down,

you have to start all over again.

What is young people’s biggest asset?

It’s time.

Wherever you invest your time,

you will get returns there.

Invest in long-term value,

and you will become more and more valuable.

Invest in short-term gains,

and you will only become more and more anxious.

Finally: earn money within your circle of competence, not money outside of it.

A lot of people have heard this saying,

but not many truly understand it.

What does "money within your circle of competence" mean?

It’s money you understand thoroughly, can grasp, and can control.

You know why it’s profitable, how to earn it, and where the risks lie.

When you make money, you know why.

When you lose money, you also know why.

What does "money outside your circle of competence" mean?

It’s money you earn in a muddled, confused way.

Someone says this makes money, so you follow along.

Someone else made money, so you want to too.

You have no idea why it’s profitable,

and you don’t know where the risks are.

With this kind of money,

even if you earn it,

you will lose it eventually.

Because your level of understanding doesn’t match your wealth.

It’s only when the tide goes out

that you find out who’s been swimming naked.

How to Handle Your Wealth at the Stage of the Nine in the Second Place of the *Duration* Hexagram

The Nine in the Second Place of the *Duration* Hexagram

is the stage where you’ve just found your rhythm for making money.

The direction is right, you have a path to follow,

but you haven’t made big money yet.

What should you do at this point?

Three things.

First: keep deepening your expertise.

Since you’ve found the right direction,

stop looking around all the time.

Don’t get itchy when you see other people making money.

Don’t want to jump ship every time you hear about a hot new trend.

Focus on doing your own work well,

and hone your skills until they’re rock-solid.

When your skills are truly top-notch,

the money will come on its own.

Have you ever seen a top expert in any industry

who can’t make money?

No, right?

If you can’t make money,

it’s usually not that the industry is bad—

it’s that you’re not good enough yet.

Second: build up your resources.

Money doesn’t come out of nowhere.

It comes from turning resources into value.

What kind of resources?

Your professional skills are a resource.

Your network of connections is a resource.

Your industry knowledge and information are a resource.

Your reputation and good name are also a resource.

Don’t just keep your head down focused on making money.

Look up and see the road ahead too.

Meet more people, learn more, exchange ideas more,

and build up all kinds of resources.

These things don’t show their value in daily life,

but when you need them,

they become the capital you use to earn more.

Third: wait for the right timing.

Why does the Nine in the Second Place bring "Remorse Disappears" but not great wealth yet?

Because the timing hasn’t come yet.

You have the ability, you have the right direction,

but you still lack an opportunity, a trend,

a turning point that lets you break out.

At this point, being anxious won’t help.

All you can do is—

get ready, and wait.

Wait for the wind to come, wait for the opportunity to arrive,

wait for the timing that belongs to you.

When the opportunity comes and you seize it,

you’ll move up.

If the opportunity hasn’t come yet, keep preparing.

After all, the more prepared you are,

the better you’ll be able to grab the opportunity when it comes.

What’s the worst thing that can happen?

It’s messing around and wasting your principal

while you’re waiting for the opportunity.

Then when the opportunity really comes,

you don’t have the capital to take advantage of it.

So stay steady, don’t rush.

Small money comes from diligence.

Big money comes from fortune.

But you have to hone your skills first,

so that when fortune comes, you can catch it.

For You Who Want to Make Money

Finally, I want to say a few words to everyone who wants to make money.

Don’t envy people who get rich overnight.

You see the moment they made their money,

but you don’t see how many times they lost money before that.

Luck is something

no one can predict.

The only thing you can control

is yourself.

And don’t be anxious that you’re making money too slowly.

Slow is fine.

As long as you keep moving forward and keep growing,

that’s better than anything.

The power of compound interest

is far greater than you think.

Grow a little every year,

and after ten years, it adds up to a huge amount.

The Nine in the Second Place of the *Duration* Hexagram tells you—

悔亡 (Remorse Disappears). The wisdom of this line is this:

when you find the right rhythm and hold your ground,

all the anxiety, regret, and disappointment from before

will gradually fade away.

You will feel more and more grounded,

more and more confident,

and your money flow will get smoother and smoother.

When it comes to making money, the lesson of the Nine in the Second Place of the *Duration* Hexagram

boils down to this: it’s not about who runs faster,

but who lasts longer and goes farther.

The one who runs fast

doesn’t necessarily laugh last.

The one who walks steadily

is the one who can keep going all the way.

Remember:

slow is fast,

and steadiness is profit.

The wisdom of the Nine in the Second Place of the *Duration* Hexagram

comes down to two words: steady now.

When your mind is steady,

your money will naturally be steady too.