His name is cited as a synonym for wisdom in various Western audiovisual productions: Confucius is the «wisdom«which comes from China with words that make you reflect and question the depths of your being. The phrase “He who demands a lot from himself and expects little from others will keep resentment away.” gives a lot to analyze.
Confucius (551-479 BC), also known as Kongziwas an influential Chinese philosopher and teacher who lived between 551 and 479 BC. He is considered the founder of the confucian school of thought. For him, happiness and fulfillment was found in living an honorable life, being kind, and treating others with respect.
He reflected on what really has value and did not seek irrefutable truths, but rather focused on harmony, and in times of permanent war, he wanted human beings to be able to live together in peace. Unlike the taoisma doctrine of existence that encouraged individualism, Confucianism only saw man fulfilled as a social being.
This phrase appears in «The Analects«, a written version of some of his teachings for living in peace every day, written during the Spring and Autumn Period (722-481 BC) in China, which are part of the legacy of his profound wisdom. Confucius transmitted countless philosophical ideas to his disciples in his classes that were compiled there.
For him it is important that individuals know that the problem is not what happens in the outside world, but what each one expects the world to give us. This phrase raises the bar of self-demand and lowers the external expectation, so the person can recover emotional sovereignty.
If one demands a lot from oneself and expects nothing (or little) from others, then you will be able to enjoy a «psychological shield» in which your well-being depends on your attitude, not on external stimuli.
So, whoever manages to focus on their own behavior and fight for what interests them with all their strength, stops being hostage to external or other people’s shortcomings. In this way, there will be no resentment, which is, in essence, something that we demand from the other.
If you have nothing to ask for, you will have nothing to claim. By expecting little from others an imaginary debt will not be generatedfueled by lack. This is not cynicism, but a realistic acceptance of the human condition.
It is also far from being a selfish thought, on the contrary: excellence and personal requirement It works as a filter that does not allow us to fall into complaints or impurities that affect the mood due to the actions of others.
More phrases from Confucius and the search for happiness:
- “True happiness is not found in wealth or power, but in inner peace and integrity.”
- “Everything has its beauty, but not everyone can see it.”
- “It doesn’t matter how slowly you go, as long as you don’t stop.”
- “Choose a job you love and you won’t have to work a single day in your life.”
- “Learning without reflecting is wasting energy.”
