Lü Hexagram Nine in the Fourth Place: The Essential Mindset for Those in High Positions

Have you ever noticed this?

Some people do really well when they’re in lower positions, but as soon as they get promoted and gain power, things start going wrong. They make bad decisions, hire the wrong people, or rub others the wrong way—until they end up falling from their position.

Why does this happen?

Is it because they lack ability? Not necessarily. A lot of people have the skills; it’s their mindset that shifts.

When someone reaches a high position, the first thing they tend to lose isn’t their ability—it’s their sense of reverence and caution.

The fourth line of the I Ching’s Treading Hexagram (天泽履 / Treading) speaks directly to this. It reads: "履虎尾，愬愬，终吉。" (Treading on the tiger’s tail: if one stays alert and cautious, the end will be auspicious.)

Treading on the Tiger’s Tail — High Position Is Inherently Dangerous

What does "treading on the tiger’s tail" mean? It means you’re standing right on a tiger’s tail.

The Nine in the Fourth Place (九四) holds a unique position: it’s the lowest line of the upper trigram, sitting right next to the supreme Nine in the Fifth Place (九五). It’s like someone who’s climbed very high up—their boss is right above them, and everyone below is watching.

Is this a good position? Yes—it’s high status with great power. But is it risky? Also very risky: being close to the ruler is like being next to a tiger.

The higher your position and the greater your power, the heavier your responsibility—and the bigger the risks. A single word from you, and everyone below has to act on it; a single decision you make affects hundreds or thousands of people. When you get it right, the credit goes to everyone; when you get it wrong, you take all the blame.

That’s what "treading on the tiger’s tail" means: the higher you stand, the greater the danger beneath your feet. You might think you’re on top of the world, enjoying all the glory—but really, you’re standing on a tiger’s tail, and the tiger could turn around and bite you at any moment.

But wait—the entire Treading Hexagram is about "treading on the tiger’s tail." Why does the Nine at the Beginning (初九) stay safe, the Nine in the Second Place (九二) stay safe, and the Nine in the Fourth Place (九四) also stay safe? Because their mindsets are different.

The Nine at the Beginning follows "素履" (plain treading)—it’s far from the tiger and sticks to the rules, so the tiger doesn’t bite.

The Nine in the Second Place follows "坦坦" (calm and straightforward)—it walks the open road, open and aboveboard, so the tiger doesn’t bite.

What about the Nine in the Fourth Place? It’s already right at the tip of the tiger’s tail, closer than anyone else. How does it handle it?

Its approach is "愬愬" (shuò shuò)—staying alert and fearful.

Shuò Shuò — Holding Awe, Acting with Care

What does "shuò shuò" mean? It describes a state of being fearful, vigilant, and extremely careful.

The wisdom of the Nine in the Fourth Place is this: I know danger is right beneath my feet, so I stay alert at all times, cautious in every move, and never let my guard down for a second.

This stands in sharp contrast to the Six in the Third Place (六三). That line says "眇能视，跛能履" (straining to see with weak eyes, forcing to walk with a limp)—it can’t see clearly but insists on looking, can’t walk steadily but insists on moving, acting like it fears nothing. In the end, the tiger bites it.

What about the Nine in the Fourth Place? It’s clearly powerful (a Yang Line in a Yin position, with strong, firm energy)—yet it feels fear, acts carefully, and stays cautious. Because it knows: the closer you are to the tiger, the less you can afford to be careless.

Wen Laoshi often says: Truly powerful people aren’t the ones who fear nothing—they’re the ones who know what to fear, and can keep themselves in check.

People who fear nothing aren’t brave—they’re reckless. Running red lights, drunk driving, breaking laws and rules? That’s not courage—that’s ignorance. True courage is having the power, ability, and chance to do wrong, but choosing not to; it’s having every reason to relax, slack off, and indulge, but refusing to let your guard down.

I know an entrepreneur whose company grew quite large, with a net worth of hundreds of millions. But he still arrives at the office early every day and leaves late, making decisions even more carefully than he did in the startup days. Someone once asked him, "You’re already so successful—why do you still push yourself this hard?"

He said: "Precisely because I’m successful, I have to be more careful. Back in the early startup days, I had nothing to lose—worst case, I’d start over. Now it’s different. Hundreds of people rely on this company for their livelihoods. If I make one wrong decision, it affects hundreds of families. The more successful I am, the less I can afford to lose."

That’s the mindset of "shuò shuò": you’re not cautious because you’re weak—you’re more cautious because you’re powerful. Because you know you can’t afford to lose, you don’t take reckless chances; because you know you can’t bear the consequences, you don’t let yourself be careless.

Final Auspiciousness — Caution Keeps You Afloat for the Long Haul

What does "终吉" (final auspiciousness) mean? It means things turn out well in the end.

Even though the Nine in the Fourth Place is treading on the tiger’s tail in a dangerous spot, because it practices "shuò shuò"—staying alert and cautious—it comes through unharmed, and even meets with good fortune.

This teaches us a truth: danger itself isn’t scary—what’s scary is being unaware of the danger.

It’s okay to be treading on a tiger’s tail, as long as you know you’re doing it—you’ll be careful, and nothing bad will happen. The scariest thing is treading on a tiger’s tail and thinking you’re on flat ground. Then when the tiger turns around, you won’t be able to escape.

This is exactly why so many people run into trouble in real life.

Some people hold official positions for so long they forget who they are. They think they call all the shots and no one can hold them accountable, so they start doing whatever they want. What happens? As soon as the disciplinary inspection comes, everything falls apart.

Some people are in business for so long they think they can do anything. They dive into any industry, chase any profit, break any rule. What happens? One bad fall, and they never get back up.

These people don’t lack ability, and it’s not bad luck—it’s that they lost their sense of reverence and caution. They forgot they were standing on a tiger’s tail, forgot the danger was always there.

But the people who go the distance, no matter how high they climb, always hold onto that sense of reverence. They know: the higher your position, the less you can let yourself get carried away; the greater your power, the less you can act recklessly; the more successful you are, the more careful you have to be.

How to Keep the "Shuò Shuò" Mindset

So, what can you do specifically to stay alert and keep a sense of reverence when you’re in a high position? Here are three suggestions.

First, regularly remind yourself "how I got to where I am today." When people succeed, they easily get carried away and think it’s all thanks to their own efforts. That’s not the whole truth. Your current position comes from your hard work, yes—but also from the opportunities of the times, help from mentors, support from your team, and a fair amount of luck. If you keep these things in mind, you won’t think you’re invincible, and you won’t get arrogant.

Second, actively seek out people who dare to tell you the truth. When you reach a high position, everyone around you only says nice things—it’s hard to hear a single honest word. Over time, you start living in your own bubble, thinking you’re always right. So you need to proactively find a few people who will tell you the truth, who will give you a reality check, and listen to their opinions regularly. Their words might not be pleasant to hear, but they could save you.

Third, do regular "risk check-ups." Just like people get regular physical check-ups, your career and your position need regular risk assessments. Ask yourself: What’s the biggest risk right now? What problems would I not be able to recover from? Have I gotten complacent or careless in any areas? If you think through these questions clearly and prepare ahead of time, you won’t panic when things come up.

That’s the modern meaning of the Nine in the Fourth Place of the Treading Hexagram, "treading on the tiger’s tail: with alert caution comes final auspiciousness": the higher your position, the more careful you must be; the greater your power, the more cautious you must be; the more successful you are, the more you need a sense of reverence.

The tiger is always there. If you respect it, fear it, and are careful around it, it won’t bite you. If you轻视 it, ignore it, or provoke it, sooner or later it will make you pay the price.

So if you’re currently in a fairly high position, or working your way up, don’t forget: keep your head down to watch your step, look up to see the road ahead, and hold reverence in your heart—only then will your feet stay steady.