I’ve discovered a very interesting phenomenon.
When many people talk about the market and life—and even when they talk about themselves—they especially love using other people as a reference point.
A 500-yuan Bitcoin, Zhang Yiming, Apple, the emperor, the richest man…
It’s always like this:
“A 500-yuan big flatbread…”
“Look at Zhang Yiming…”
“Apple back then…”
“How great can the richest man be…”
The problem is
What do these things have to do with you?
Bitcoin isn’t yours, Zhang Yiming isn’t yours, and Apple isn’t yours either.
You use other people’s assets, achievements, and identities as metaphors every day, and that won’t make you have their abilities.
This is actually a very typical cognitive bias:
Turn “observe the strong” into “borrow strength from the strong to bolster yourself.”
Truly valuable learning should break down cause and effect.
Why can others achieve it?
What resources does he have?
Where is the gap in cognition?
What’s the decision-making mechanism?
Where is your execution ability?
What mistakes has he made?
These are the things worth studying.
Instead of always talking about successful people, as if mentioning some impressive figure will somehow rub off on you.
The market is the same too.
What you truly should compare is never:
“How much did others make?”
“How many slices of the pie do others have?”
“What did others buy?”
It is:
What is my basis for judgment? Where is my payoff? Does my position match my understanding? If my judgment is wrong, can I bear it?
This is the thing that truly belongs to you.
I’ve always believed that the real sign a person has started to grow isn’t that they’ve met more impressive people, but that they gradually reduce their dependence on external references.
From “who are others” to “who am I.”
From “what others have achieved” to “why I can’t (do it).”
Shift from “why can’t I” to “how do I do it next?”
The strong can study; success can be learned from; excellent companies can be broken down.
But don’t turn them into your mental crutches. No matter how high others’ mountains are, they can’t walk your road for you.
What’s truly worth staring at every day isn’t Zhang Yiming, not the richest person, and not 500 empty promises.
It’s the self you see in the mirror. Less hero-worship, more self-reflection. The only thing that can truly give you courage at the end is always yourself.