What to Note for First Out-of-Town Career Move? Tun Hexagram Advises Settling Base First Before Growth

A 23-year-old guy had signed with a company 2,000 kilometers away from his hometown. He asked me what the top thing to watch out for was when applying the Difficulty at the Beginning hexagram to travel scenarios.

His mom also came to ask me whether he should go. I said yes. Then she asked what he should be careful about once he got there.

I told her, don’t do it the way you two are thinking. You’re assuming you can figure things out after you arrive. But what Difficulty at the Beginning says is: set up a base first, then talk about growth.

The line from Difficulty at the Beginning: "勿用有攸往，利建侯" (Do not undertake a long journey; it furthers one to establish a feudal lord)

Hexagram Judgment: Originating, Penetrating, Advantageous, Correct. Do not undertake a long journey; it furthers one to establish a feudal lord.

The hexagram has Kan / The Abysmal above and Zhen / The Arousing below — clouds above, thunder below. All things are just beginning to emerge, not yet taking shape.

"勿用有攸往" — don’t rush to head far away.

"利建侯" — first establish a feudal lord, a foothold.

Put together, these two lines seem contradictory: it tells you not to go far, yet says you should set up a base.

But there’s no contradiction. What it means is: get firmly established in one place first, then talk about how far you’ll go.

The biggest mistake with travel and relocation is the mindset of "we’ll figure it out when we get there." Because once you arrive, all your energy goes into handling immediate problems, leaving no room to build anything solid.

六二 "屯如邅如" (Stuck and circling): taking two steps forward and three steps back is par for the course

Line Text: Stuck and circling, the horses advance in fits and starts. Not raiders, but suitors for marriage. The woman is steadfast and does not consent; only after ten years does she consent.

"屯如邅如" describes being unable to move forward, going in circles. "乘马班如" means riding a horse but just spinning in place.

"十年乃字" — stay steadfast, and it will take ten years to come to fruition.

This line is especially down-to-earth. It acknowledges that the first few years will be like this — not because you’re not working hard, but because timing is still building up.

Applied to travel and relocation, it boils down to this: rough first two years are the default, not a sign you made the wrong choice.

Many young people want to go back home within the first year, not because they can’t make it, but because they had no expectations. They thought moving to a new city would make things better right away, only to find the first year even harder than staying home.

What Difficulty at the Beginning says is: hardship is part of this phase, not a sign that this phase has gone wrong.

六四 "求婚媾，往吉" (Seeking a marriage union: going is auspicious): the difference lies in the word "seek"

Line Text: The horses advance in fits and starts. Seeking a marriage union, going is auspicious. Nothing that does not further.

It’s still the image of riding a horse and spinning in circles — but this time, the person takes the initiative to seek a marriage alliance, and going brings good fortune.

The scenes of the Second Six and Fourth Six are almost identical, but the outcomes are completely different.

What’s the difference? The Second Six is about waiting; the Fourth Six is about seeking.

In a new city, what does "waiting" look like? Waiting for coworkers to invite you to dinner, waiting for your boss to remember you, waiting for someone to bring you into their circle. That kind of waiting can drag on for three years.

What does "seeking" look like? Taking the initiative to ask if you can join someone for lunch, reaching out to someone who’s lived in the city for five years to buy them coffee, signing up for events related to your industry on your own.

The most valuable takeaway from Difficulty at the Beginning for travel scenarios is this single word: seek.

Three things you must bring when relocating

First, a landing pad. A place to stay for the first three months, enough money to last half a year, and one person you can call for help. With these three in place, you’ll have the energy to focus on growth.

Second, your abilities — not your status. Your old title, old connections, old seniority mean almost nothing in a new city. Of all the things you bring with you, only your skills are universal.

Third, a trial-and-error period. Anything less than a year doesn’t count.

When people first arrive in a new place, they’re desperate to see results in three months. But while the "ten years to fruition" from Difficulty at the Beginning is an exaggeration, the direction is right: building up in a new place is measured in years, not months.

Three quick checks you can use right now

First, do you have a foothold right now? People without a base may look like they’re moving forward, but they’re actually just drifting.

Second, are you waiting, or are you seeking? It’s easy to tell: have you initiated a conversation or request more than three times this month?

Third, how long is your trial-and-error period? If you’re only giving it six months, chances are you’ll head home in six months — and blame the city for it.

Final note

The guy went.

The first year was tough, and he twice considered coming back. He did two things: first, he had a standing weekly dinner with a local senior coworker; second, he made a rule for himself that he wouldn’t judge his decision for a full year.

In the second year, he introduced me to his mom, saying that what this teacher said was pretty spot-on.

I said it wasn’t me who was accurate — it was Difficulty at the Beginning.

When applied to travel and relocation, Difficulty at the Beginning boils down to one thing: a long journey isn’t about wandering wherever you end up. It’s about planting your feet firmly in one place first.

Only when you’re firmly rooted will the road unfold ahead of you on its own.