Kong Fuzi, more famous in the West as Confucious, is arguably the best-known and most influential Chinese philosopher of all time. Despite living two and a half millennia ago, his writings could easily serve as an inspiration and a guide to modern-day startup founders. After all, even though the technology founders deal with is new, the problem of overcoming difficulties and dealing with people is as old as humanity itself.
1. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
Even in the world of startups in which exponential growth is a crucial factor, overnight success is largely a myth. Before any impressive growth curve usually stands years of effort, experience, and failures.
Consequently, persistence is paramount. Instead of fixating on immediate results, as a founder you should focus on consistent effort and incremental progress. Every step, no matter how small, takes you closer to your goals.
2. I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
A reminder that experience is the only real teacher. This is why as a young startup founder you should seek out the help of mentors and advisers and you should also try to draw experienced professionals into your early startup team.
Moreover, the most profound insights emerge through firsthand experience, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of your industry and refine your strategies accordingly. It’s usually a bad idea to start a project in a field in which you have no firsthand experience.
3. Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Another excellent reminder that in startups (and often in life) failure is inevitable and that resilience is a big part of what distinguishes the successful from the unsuccessful.
4. Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
Successfully taking a startup project from zero to one is extremely hard. Unless you are fully committed, you’d be unlikely to succeed and even if you do – the cost might not be worth it.
5. The object of the superior man is truth.
In business, integrity and honesty are foundational principles. In the long run, your reputation is your most valuable asset, so it’s rarely worth tarnishing it for short-term gains.
More uniquely for startups, however, one of the easiest ways to lose your time and money is to give in to self-deception. That’s why it’s crucial to constantly test your vision and ideas against reality and to adjust your plans based on the feedback that the market is giving you. In that sense, as an early-stage founder, you need to function as a scientist and to hold truth as your number one value and priority.
6. Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
Adaptability is a hallmark of successful startups. Confucius’ words highlight the importance of learning and evolving. In the rapidly changing business landscape, founders who remain open to new ideas, market shifts, and feedback are the ones who thrive. Stubbornness inhibits growth, whereas embracing change fosters innovation and resilience.
7. They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
A reminder that success is a journey, rather than a destination. This is more than true for startups, as it is for most things in life.
8. The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest; success only comes later.
As a founder, your job is to solve problems. Success takes care of itself if you aim the enterprise in the right direction and if you take care of the challenges put in front of you efficiently.
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