Should You Take a New Opportunity? Hexagram Increase’s Nine at the Beginning: Go for It Boldly When You’re Sure

This matter is perfectly explained by the first line of the *Increase* Hexagram in the *I Ching (Book of Changes)*.

Have you ever felt this kind of inner conflict?

A new opportunity is right in front of you—

it could be a new project, a new position,

an urge to start your own business, or an idea to switch careers.

You want to go for it,

but you’re scared—scared you won’t do well, scared of failure,

scared people will say you’re just messing around, scared you’ll end up worse off than you are now.

But if you don’t go for it,

you can’t bring yourself to accept it—what if you miss out?

What if this is the turning point of my life?

Neither option feels right,

you just drag your feet,

and by the time the opportunity is truly gone,

you’re filled with regret.

What should you do?

The first line of the *Increase* Hexagram in the *I Ching*

is exactly about this.

The *Line Text (Yao Ci)* says: 利用为大作，元吉，无咎 (It furthers one to undertake great works; supreme good fortune, no blame).

What does that mean?

"It furthers"—it is beneficial, suitable to do;

"undertake great works"—to do something big, to make a major impact;

"supreme good fortune"—great luck, extremely favorable;

"no blame"—no major problems, no big mistakes will be made.

Putting it all together:

this is a time suitable for undertaking great works,

with great fortune and no issues.

Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?

But hold on—

not every opportunity counts as "great works,"

and not every moment is the right time to act.

Why does the *Nine at the Beginning* of the *Increase* Hexagram say this?

There’s a reason behind it.

Why the Nine at the Beginning of the Increase Hexagram Is Suitable for Great Works

The *Increase* Hexagram is 風雷益 (Wind and Thunder, Increase)—

wind is above thunder; wind amplifies the sound of thunder, thunder rides the momentum of the wind,

each enhancing the other.

What is the core of the *Increase* Hexagram?

It is "diminish the above to increase the below"—

those above give a little, those below gain a lot;

the more you give, the more you receive; the more you put in, the more you gain.

The *Nine at the Beginning* is the first line of the *Increase* Hexagram.

It is a *Yang Line (solid —)* in a yang position, at the lowest place but with the fullest strength—

it is the start of increase, the starting point of growth.

Why is the *Nine at the Beginning* suitable for great works?

Three reasons.

First, you have enough strength.

The *Nine at the Beginning* is a yang line in a yang position—

you have drive, momentum, and confidence.

At the very beginning,

people have the most passion, the most energy, and are most willing to push hard.

If you don’t act now, when will you?

Many people hesitate at the start,

and by the time their passion is worn down and their energy is drained,

they can’t bring themselves to act even if they want to.

Second, the timing is good.

The *Increase* Hexagram is a hexagram of growth and gain,

and the *Nine at the Beginning* is the very start of that increase—

exactly the starting point of an upward trend.

Everything goes smoothly during an upward trend,

and it’s easiest to get results right when you’re starting out.

Look at the companies that made it big—

most of them caught the starting point of an upward trend,

rode the momentum, and grew bigger and bigger.

Third, you have enough support.

The *Increase* Hexagram is about diminishing the above to increase the below—

those above are willing to give, those below are willing to work;

when everyone is on the same page, things are easier to pull off.

Above the *Nine at the Beginning* is the *Six in the Second Place*,

with *Resonance / Correspondence* between yin and yang—someone will cooperate with you, someone will support you.

You’re not fighting alone;

you have a team, resources, and support—

that’s what gives you the confidence to take on something big.

But Not Every Opportunity Is Worth Pursuing

That said,

you can’t jump at every single opportunity.

"It furthers one to undertake great works"

has a prerequisite—this "great work" has to be reliable,

aligned with the trend, and something you can handle.

How do you judge if an opportunity is worth going for?

Three criteria.

First, check if it’s a real need.

Don’t just listen to people talk about "hot trends" or "the next big thing."

Ask yourself first—

does anyone actually need this?

Does it actually solve a problem?

Or is it just a concept, just a gimmick?

Real needs last;

fake trends come fast and go even faster.

Second, check if it’s something you can actually do.

No matter how good the opportunity is,

if your skills, resources, or energy can’t keep up,

it’s useless.

Don’t get jealous just because other people are making money.

They succeeded for their own reasons;

it might not work out for you.

Take a good, hard look at yourself first—

what do I have? What am I missing? Can I make up for what I lack?

Figure that out before you decide.

Third, check if it’s in an upward trend.

The same thing,

done during an upward trend versus a downward trend,

will have wildly different results.

During an upward trend,

you can move forward without trying too hard;

during a downward trend,

you might work your fingers to the bone and still barely stay afloat.

Reading the trend right and hitting the right timing

is ten thousand times more important than mindless hard work.

What to Do When a New Opportunity Comes Along

Step one: size it up properly.

Don’t rush in the second you see an opportunity;

take a good look, think it through carefully.

Is it a real need? Is it something you can do?

Is it in an upward trend?

Once you’ve thought through these three questions clearly,

then decide whether to go for it.

If you can’t be sure, don’t rush—

it’s better to miss an opportunity than to make a wrong move.

Step two: dare to go for it.

Once you’re sure, don’t hesitate—

go for it boldly, give it your all.

Many people fail not because they lack ability,

but because they hesitate for too long;

by the time they’ve made up their mind, the opportunity is already gone.

When you first start out,

don’t chase perfection—just get started first.

Adjust as you go, improve as you work—

that’s way better than sitting there overthinking until your head hurts.

Step three: see it through to the end.

Once you’re up and running,

don’t get cocky, don’t slack off, don’t mess around.

Work hard, work steadily, stick with it.

Many things don’t fail at the starting line—

they fail halfway through:

you start slacking off as you go,

you drift off track as you go,

you give up as you go.

Only by sticking it out to the end

can you enjoy the fruits of that growth and gain.

A Final Word

There aren’t that many opportunities in life—

only a few key ones.

Miss them, and they might never come again.

But you can’t jump at every opportunity either—

messing around aimlessly is worse than doing nothing.

利用为大作，元吉，无咎 (It furthers one to undertake great works; supreme good fortune, no blame)—

if you’re sure it’s a good opportunity,

go for it boldly, give it your all;

it will bring great fortune, and no major mistakes will happen.

But the prerequisite is—

you have to be sure.

So,

when a new opportunity comes along,

don’t get overexcited, don’t hesitate;

calm down first and take a good look.

If you’re sure, go for it;

if you’re not sure, wait.

Waiting isn’t wasting time.

The reminder the first line of the *Increase* Hexagram gives you, remember this—when a new opportunity comes, don’t rush to pounce on it. First weigh your own capabilities, then decide whether to go for it.

The wisdom of this first line of the *Increase* Hexagram, put simply, is this: when times are tough, choosing the right direction matters more than pushing forward blindly.

It’s about waiting for the opportunity that’s truly worth giving your all to.