Hexagram 10 Treading: Nine at the Beginning — Rules to Uphold When Just Starting Out

Have you ever felt this way?

When you first step into a new field, a new job, or a new project, you’re desperate to prove yourself. You want to overdeliver on tasks your boss assigns, and jump at the work your colleagues dare not take on. You tell yourself you’re young, energetic, and tough—doing a little extra can’t hurt, right?

But what happens?

The more you do, the more mistakes you make. Something slips up here, or you step on a landmine there. You think you’ve been working so hard—why does it feel like you’re not winning anyone over?

Take a breath.

There’s a specific hexagram in the I Ching (Book of Changes) for exactly this stage: the Hexagram of Treading (天泽履 / Treading).

“Lü (履)” means to walk, to step on, to put into practice. Moving through the world is like treading on a tiger’s tail—step carefully, and the tiger won’t bite; misstep, and you’ll get hurt. This hexagram is all about how to walk steadily, correctly, and far in a complicated environment.

The first line of the Treading Hexagram tells us how to navigate the very beginning of a journey. It says: "素履，往无咎。" (Sù lǚ, wǎng wú jiù / Plain Treading: Going Forward, No Blame)

Plain Treading — Walking in Simple Shoes

What does “sù lǚ (plain treading)” mean? “Sù” is plain, unadorned, true to one’s nature. “Lǚ” is shoes, or walking.

Put together, it means: Walk in plain, simple shoes. Move forward steadily and honestly—no flashy tricks.

Why does the First Line (初九 / Nine at the Beginning) lead with this? Because the most common mistake people make when starting something new is overthinking, spreading themselves too thin, and putting on a flashy show.

You just started a new job, but instead of nailing your core responsibilities, you’re fixated on how to impress the boss, schmooze for a promotion, or climb the ladder fast. If your actual work is sloppy, none of that extra stuff matters.

You just launched a business, but instead of perfecting your product, you’re obsessing over funding, marketing stunts, and telling a good story. If the product is bad, the better your marketing is, the faster you’ll crash.

That’s what it means to lack “plain treading.” You want to run before you can walk; you want to fly before you can even stand steady.

Wen Laoshi often says: In the starting phase, the race isn’t about who runs faster—it’s about who builds a solid foundation first. A shaky foundation will bring everything crashing down. Build a strong base, and you’ll be able to add on quickly later; skip the foundation, and the taller your building gets, the harder it falls.

Why does the First Line promise “going forward, no blame”? Because it’s plain, dutiful, and follows the rules. Do what you’re supposed to do well, don’t touch what you shouldn’t, don’t say what you shouldn’t, don’t fixate on what’s not your place. Step by step, you might move slowly, but you won’t make big mistakes.

Going Forward, No Blame — Walk the Right Path, and Nothing Goes Wrong

What does “wǎng wú jiù (going forward, no blame)” mean? “Wǎng” is to move forward, to take action. “Jiù” is fault, misfortune, or blame.

Put together: As long as you walk the right path and stay true to your duties, moving forward won’t lead to serious trouble.

A lot of people feel crippling anxiety when they’re starting out—afraid of messing up, of looking foolish, of being looked down on. But there’s no need for that.

You’re new. It’s normal to make mistakes. It’s normal to not know everything. No one expects you to be perfect right out the gate. What people care about is your attitude—are you steady, are you earnest, are you growing?

What is scary? Being unsteady, half-hearted, and always looking for shortcuts.

I know a young guy who was super sharp when he first joined the company—smooth talker, great at reading the room, always seemed to know what needed doing. All the managers thought he was a rising star with a bright future. But after six months, everyone saw the truth: he was great at schmoozing, terrible at actual work. The tasks he handed in looked good on the surface, but dig a little and they were full of holes. When problems popped up, his first move wasn’t to fix them—it was to pass the buck.

When the department did layoffs later, he was in the first round.

Why? Because how far you go ultimately doesn’t depend on how good you are at playing office politics—it depends on whether you can get the work done. “Plain treading” means: nail the actual work first. Everything else is extra. If you can’t get the basics right, acing the bonus questions doesn’t count for anything.

Three Layers of Meaning in “Plain Treading”

The phrase “plain treading” looks simple, but it has three layers of meaning.

First: Be true to who you are. Be yourself—don’t put on an act. When you’re starting out, the more you pretend, the more likely you are to slip up; the more authentic you are, the easier it is to earn trust. It’s okay if your skills aren’t there yet—people will give you time to grow. But if your character is untrustworthy, no one will want to work with you.

Second: Do steady, solid work. Get one thing done right at a time, take one steady step at a time. Stop chasing overnight success or instant wins. For most people, progress is built step by step. If you plant each foot firmly, those small steps will add up, and you’ll naturally level up before you know it.

Third: Hold your bottom line. Be clear about what you will and won’t do. When you’re starting out, it’s easy to cross lines in the name of quick results—faking numbers to hit targets, lying to please the boss, cutting corners to win. Do it once, and you’ll do it again. Eventually, you’ll burn every bridge you have.

The wisdom of the First Line boils down to this: When you’re starting out, it’s okay to be a little “slow” or a little “unpolished.” Stick to your duties, walk the right direction, and you won’t go wrong.

Three Tips for the Starting Phase

So when you’re new to a field, what should you do, exactly? Here are three tips.

First, learn the rules first. Every workplace has its norms, every industry its unspoken tricks. Don’t rush to show off the second you walk in. Take the time to figure out: What are the rules here? What’s allowed, what’s off-limits? Who are the key people? What pitfalls should you avoid? Understanding the rules before you act is a hundred times better than charging in blind.

Second, nail every small task on your plate. Don’t dismiss small things as unimportant. When your boss asks you to make a call, organize a spreadsheet, or draft an email—those are all small tasks, but they shape how people see you. No one will trust you with big work if you can’t even get the small stuff right. But if you handle every small task well? Opportunities will find you.

Third, don’t compare yourself to others—compare yourself to who you were yesterday. When you’re starting out, it’s normal to see people who are better, faster, or earning more than you. Don’t panic. You have your own pace; they have their own path. As long as you’re a little better today than you were yesterday, a little stronger this year than last year—that’s enough. Given time, the gap will show.

That’s what the First Line of the Treading Hexagram, “plain treading, going forward no blame,” means for us today: When you first start walking, don’t think about running. Plant every step firmly first. Be a little plainer, a little steadier, a little more dutiful—and you’ll go farther than most people.

So if you’re at a new starting point right now, don’t stress, don’t rush, don’t overthink it. Just lace up those plain, simple shoes of yours, and take it one step at a time. Walk the right path, and the results will take care of themselves.