Everyone is like a juggling performer simultaneously balancing five balls: work, health, family, friends, and the soul. Among these five, only one is made of rubber and will bounce back if it drops—that is work. The other four are made of glass and will shatter if they fall. Therefore, while we must work hard, we must cherish our family, health, friends, and soul even more.
A healthy body comes from exercise, a sharp mind from careful thought, good habits from cultivation, noble character from self-discipline, and refined skills from honing. Words in life are magical: sometimes saying less is better than saying more, sometimes silence is better than speech, sometimes brevity beats length, sometimes irony beats directness, and sometimes speaking behind someone's back is better than confronting them directly.
The wise are tolerant. The more enlightened a person is, the broader their horizon and the greater their capacity for tolerance. This is because they understand the world deeply and navigate human nature with ease; they see deeply, think openly, and let go easily. They also keenly realize that yielding a step in conduct is elevated, for stepping back is the foundation of progress; and being lenient toward others by one part is a blessing, for benefiting others is the root of self-benefit. The benevolent are also tolerant. Those filled with the spirit of benevolence are inevitably tolerant. "Treat the elders of others as you treat your own elders; treat the children of others as you treat your own children." They do not be harsh with themselves, nor with others. Thus, compared to those who are petty and suspicious, tolerant people naturally enjoy better interpersonal relationships and greater happiness, and consequently, longer lives. To be tolerant is to win people over.