Perhaps I have truly become weary, aged, and despondent, but I also feel more relaxed, open-minded, and cheerful. If I strive to compete with everyone and compare myself to others daily, am I not merely tormenting myself? When you learn to make yourself happy, those around you will also become more peaceful.
If others do not respect me, it is because I lack talent; if I do not respect others, it is because I lack virtue; if others do not tolerate me, it is because I am incapable; if I do not tolerate others, it is because my breadth of mind is insufficient; if others do not help me, it is because I am inactive; if I do not help others, it is because I lack kindness. If you treat others not by their own standards but by yours, you will give more and calculate less; if you judge others not by their actions but by your own grace, you will gain more magnanimity and less narrow-mindedness.
People need to be willful. Nowadays, too few people can afford to be willful. How can someone who is never willful maintain a healthy mental state? One must be the master of oneself. Happiness is swallowed, while sadness is chewed; if you chew on happiness, you will find sadness within. Any idealism carries a tinge of sorrow, and a wise person's life often feels like a continuous April Fool's Day.
Once you have capability, people will seek you out, and you will have connections. So-called "connections" are essentially an exchange of value between people. Connections without value are merely fleeting relationships of convenience. If people cannot gain value from you, they will not maintain a relationship with you. Work hard and work smart; once your business excels, the connections you are striving for today will be waiting for you tomorrow.