There are 11 typical errors in Chinese-style entrepreneurship that entrepreneurs should avoid. The first is "brotherhood partnership, enemy-like separation," where close initial relationships often turn into bitter conflicts due to diverging interests. Second is a lack of decisiveness, characterized by too many ideas and frequent policy changes. Third is hypocrisy: publicly criticizing unwritten rules while privately exploiting them. Other pitfalls include "meeting syndrome," which lowers efficiency; over-monetizing corporate incentives; undemocratic and barbaric management styles; using underworld tactics to resolve business competition; blind faith in "parachuted executives" leading to expert dependency; the strategy of "crossing the river by feeling the stones" without proper planning; blindly imitating competitors without innovation; and demonizing peers, leading to vicious competition.
Regarding personal mindset, the ancients said: "If you don't read for a day, dust settles in your mind; if you don't read for two days, your speech becomes dull; if you don't read for three days, your appearance becomes repulsive." Yang Jiang also noted: "Reading is not for getting a diploma or making money, but for becoming a person with warmth, taste, and thoughtfulness." Every piece of wisdom gained from books is timeless and practically useful. True readers never lack a free soul; their hearts do not need defense, yet they can never be conquered.
On the cultivation of mindset, there is a fitting metaphor: If a cup is full, one must drink the tea before pouring in more. When the heart becomes full, arrogant, and self-conceited, it naturally leads to self-righteousness, stubbornness, and even delusion. One should often remind oneself whether it is time to clear the "inventory." Only by emptying the cup can one truly start anew. The Buddhist concept of letting go and the economist's concept of ignoring sunk costs are both contained within this empty cup.
