Kan 95: "坎不盈 (Kan Bu Ying)" – Key Step Out of the Pit, Hold On a Bit More to Reach Shore

There’s a saying: “Of a hundred-mile journey, the ninetieth mile is only halfway.”

When you’ve walked ninety miles of a hundred-mile road, you’ve only gone half the distance.

Why?

Because the last ten miles are the most tiring, the hardest, and the easiest time to give up.

Many people don’t lose at the bottom of the pit—they lose when they’re just about to climb out.

Just a little more effort and they’d be out, but they say: “Forget it, I can’t climb anymore.”

The moment they let go, they fall right back down.

The Nine in the Fifth Place of the Kan Hexagram (The Abysmal Water) speaks exactly to this critical moment.

「坎不盈，祇既平」

The Line Text for Nine in the Fifth Place says: “坎不盈，祇既平，无咎。 (The abyss is not yet full, but the level is almost even. No blame.)”

The pit hasn’t been filled yet, but it’s almost level with the top.

Just a little more, and you’ll be out.

There’s no major fault, but you still need to be careful.

This line is particularly interesting.

If you say it’s good—“the abyss is not yet full” means it’s not filled, you haven’t gotten out yet.

If you say it’s bad—“the level is almost even” means it’s nearly level with the mouth of the pit, you’re almost out.

Neither up nor down, just that tiny bit away.

That tiny bit is what tests people the most.

Why People Are Most Likely to Give Up When They’re Almost at the Finish Line

When success is near, that’s actually when most people give up.

Why?

Reason 1: You’re exhausted

Climbing up from the bottom of the pit, by the time you’re near the top, your strength is almost gone.

Your hands are scraped raw, your legs are sore, you can barely catch your breath.

Every centimeter you climb takes every ounce of strength you have.

At this point, you’ll think:

“I’ve climbed so high already. Maybe I should take a break?”

Take one break, and you might never want to move again.

The most tiring part isn’t the starting line—it’s when you’re almost at the finish.

Because by then, your physical strength, willpower, and patience have all reached their limit.

Reason 2: You can’t see the end

You think you’re almost there, but there’s still that tiny gap.

You think you’ll be out tomorrow, but tomorrow brings another tomorrow.

“How much farther is it, really?”

“How much longer will this take, exactly?”

“Am I never going to climb out of here?”

Effort with no end in sight is the most draining.

Many people aren’t defeated by difficulty—they’re defeated by “not seeing any hope.”

Hope, sometimes, is just that tiny bit away.

Hold on one more day, and you might see it.

But if you don’t hold on, you’ll never see it.

Reason 3: You start to doubt

When you’re almost at the finish line, that’s when people doubt themselves the most.

“Can I really get out?”

“Will things really be better once I’m out?”

“What if I get out, and it’s just another pit?”

Once doubt creeps in, your drive fades.

Once your drive fades, you can’t climb anymore.

Many people don’t lack the ability to get out—they just don’t believe they can.

If you don’t believe it, you really won’t get out.

When You’re About to Give Up, Think About These Three Things

If you’re currently in that “almost there, but not quite” stage, and you feel like you can’t hold on anymore…

Don’t rush to give up. First, think about these three things.

First thing: How far you’ve already come

Don’t keep fixating on how far you still have to go.

Look back and see how far you’ve already come.

What were you like a year ago?

What were you like six months ago?

What were you like three months ago?

You’ll realize you’ve come so much farther than you thought.

You’re so much stronger than you give yourself credit for.

All those things you thought you couldn’t get through—didn’t you get through all of them?

Since you’ve made it this far, why not hold on just a little longer?

You’ve already taken ninety-nine steps—what’s one more?

Second thing: What’s the cost of giving up?

When many people are about to give up, they only think “I finally don’t have to suffer through this anymore.”

But they don’t think—what happens after you give up?

After you give up, you have nothing left.

- All the effort you put in before will be wasted

- All the hardship you endured before will be for nothing

- You’re one step away from the exit, but you’ll end up right back in the pit

The most regrettable failure isn’t lacking ability—it’s being so close to success, and then giving up.

The road to success isn’t crowded, because not many people stick it out to the end.

Just hold on a little longer, and you’ll outpace most people.

Third thing: What happens if you try one more time?

“I can’t. I really can’t hold on anymore.”

Really?

Are you sure you’ve reached your limit?

Most of the time, when you think you’ve hit your limit, you’re nowhere close.

Human potential is far greater than you think.

You say you can’t climb anymore—what about one more step?

Just one step.

Can you do one step?

More often than not, after you take that step, you realize:

“Oh, I can take another one.”

Then another step.

Then another.

And then—you’re out.

Limits are meant to be broken.

What you think is the top is just what you think.

「无咎」 (No Blame) Is Not Supreme Good Fortune

The outcome of Nine in the Fifth Place is “无咎” — no blame, no fault.

Why isn’t it supreme good fortune? You’re almost out of the pit—isn’t that auspicious?

Because you’re not out yet.

If you’re one step short of getting out, you’re still in the pit.

Let up now, and all your previous effort will go to waste.

So “no blame” means:

What you’ve done so far is fine, no mistakes. But don’t get complacent—it’s not over yet.

Many people trip up right at this point.

They think “it’s almost done,” “it’s in the bag,” “there’s no problem now.”

Then they start slacking off, getting arrogant, making mistakes.

What happens? Almost at the finish line, they stumble and fall back down.

Of a hundred-mile journey, the ninetieth mile is only halfway. The last ten miles are the real test.

The closer you get to success, the more careful you need to be.

The closer you are to getting out, the more serious you need to be.

The Lesson of Nine in the Fifth Place

Nine in the Fifth Place of the Kan Hexagram is the ruler’s position of the hexagram.

Normally, the ruler’s position should be the best, but in the Kan Hexagram, the ruler’s position only gets “no blame.”

Why? Because when you’re in the midst of danger and hardship, no matter how high your position, you can’t say you’re safe.

As long as you’re still in the pit, there’s always a chance you’ll fall back in.

So Nine in the Fifth Place of the Kan Hexagram tells you two things:

First, don’t give up. Hold on a little longer, and you’ll be there.

You’ve come so far—you can’t admit defeat at the last step.

Second, don’t get careless. You’re not out yet, so don’t celebrate too early.

The closer you get to success, the more cautious you need to be.

If you’re currently in that “almost there, but not quite” stage:

Hold on a little longer.

Grit your teeth and push through a bit more.

Give yourself one more chance.

It’s darkest just before dawn. It’s hardest just before the exit.

But as long as you make it through—

The sky outside the pit is so blue.

The wind outside the pit is so soft.

The world outside the pit is so vast.

You deserve it.