A gentleman wants to be slow in words but quick in deeds.

"Na" (nè) means slow. It's easy to talk, so be slow. It’s hard to do it physically, so be agile. The problem always lies in what is said and what is not done. If you don't pay attention, you will overdo it. If you do it, you may pay close attention and work hard, but you still won't do enough.

Knowing this, don’t talk too much, but act hard and quickly. If one can take care of his words and take care of his actions, he is a real gentleman.

Therefore, we should speak less empty words and big words. Empty words are meaningless, and big words will only make ourselves the laughing stock of others in the end, just like Zhao Kuo who talks on paper. Confucius always opposed talking too much and repeatedly warned his disciples to speak less.

Talk less, observe frequently, and clarify things; focus on practice, do more, and understand the priorities. This is the correct way of thinking. Only by knowing what to do and what not to do, what to do first and what to do next, can we improve our efficiency and get twice the result with half the effort.

?Interpretation of the King of Empowerment?

Today we will continue to interpret Chapter 24 of the Ren chapter in the Analects. Confucius said, A gentleman wants to be slow in words but quick in deeds.

There are several key words. The first one is a gentleman. As we have said many times, it is a person with high moral character or a person with a respected status. In Confucius' time, only ordinary nobles had the opportunity to receive education, but it was difficult for ordinary people to become gentlemen.

Desire actually means wanting.

Our requirement for a gentleman is that he should be as slow in speech as possible, not boastful, empty talk, nonsense, to show off what he is, but should be quick in action.

That is to say, we must pay attention not to talk powerfully but not actually act. Instead, we must do the opposite, saying less and doing more.

This passage is a very famous saying. It has been praised by many people and institutions since the time of Confucius to the present.

For example, there is a sundial at Tsinghua University. The four words written on it are: Actions speak louder than words. In fact, it is to tell teachers and students at Tsinghua University to do more practical things and talk less empty words.

Yesterday when I was giving guidance, I told everyone that our great leader Chairman Mao had several daughters. In fact, two of them are the most famous. One is Li Min, the daughter of her and He Zizhen. The name is Jiaojiao. One was born to Jiang Qing, named Li Na. In fact, it comes from this sentence. This also fully illustrates the great leader’s high recognition of this sentence.

At this point, you may have questions. Big brother, we are super speakers, you advocate all day long that we should talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. Isn’t it contrary to this sentence?

In fact, this is not the case. Our daily speeches are actually actions, and they are real actions.

Because we are not rhetorical, but forcing ourselves to input through the output method of speech, that is, absorbing new things. The other is thinking, combining what we have learned with our own reality, digesting and absorbing , become your own, and finally express it, generate value to influence the behavior of others, and enlighten the minds of others, including yourself, which is actually of great merit.

To use an analogy, it is like a teacher giving lectures to students. The teacher talks a lot, and the students listen below to solve their doubts, solve their problems, and let them know what is happening and why. Really learn and master the knowledge you want to learn, and apply it to achieve results and make it your own.

What we should avoid is actually firing cannons. He just talks but does not do it. He just shows off how he is and how he is without taking action. This is what each of us must try our best to avoid.

For example, we clamor to start the daily speech every day, but we never do our homework.

We talk about the various benefits of fitness every day, and we talk about the hype, but we never do it, even if it is running a few hundred meters, doing a few push-ups, holding a plank for tens of seconds, or even walking slowly , don’t take action at all.

I kept saying that I wanted to write all day long, but finally I picked up the pen and wrote two words. When I saw that it didn’t look good, I gave it up and didn’t really try to improve it.

I will send you three pictures. The first one is my homework yesterday, which was commented on by a classmate in the writing group. Below is the conversation, you can take a look. In fact, this is the best explanation of action.

At this point, do you see it? It’s not that we are not allowed to speak, but that our words must be combined with actions. I will do what I say, and I will do what I say. And you need to achieve results and let others see your real progress.

In fact, have you noticed that there are several people in our group who practice very well in speech, and their progress is also very obvious, such as Xue Xue, Xia Xia, Chen Xuan, Ordinary Heart, Junior Sister, Tu Fang and so on.

Be quick to practice, and this practice is speaking. If you keep learning, thinking, and expressing it, you will break through the original awkwardness of not knowing what to say or how to say it. This situation has entered a very virtuous cycle.

Now let’s listen to their speeches again. One has the same characteristics: he is full of energy, the other is very fluent in language, and the third is that his logic is very clear, his speech is very organized, and he can speak very well. To the point.

It is very good to express what you want to express in three to five minutes. This is very, very good.

There are also Shu Yan and the others, as well as many comrades who have done an outstanding job. Due to time constraints, I will not name everyone one by one. All in all, your performance is enough to illustrate this. question.

Let me tell you a few more stories to fully explain.

It is said that a photography teacher said to a group of his students that our assessment standard is that you take more photos. To another group of people, the assessment criteria for everyone is that you have to produce good works.

As a result, when it came to the final evaluation, those who asked for more photos took out a lot of photos, and those who asked for high-quality photos finally took one or two that they thought were good, and finally mixed them in. When we do the evaluation together, we will find a problem. Most of the really good works come from those who take a lot of photos.

Why?

It’s because photography is a skill that requires more effort to become proficient. Just like when we write articles, if we don't write one article a year, or only write three or two articles, I think it's a shame to say how good your products are.

And we write articles every day, even if most of the articles are not very good, there will definitely be one or a few excellent articles, because only by doing more can we master it and practice makes perfect. There are excellent products appearing.

People who just study every day, just figure out how to do well, and do not take action will often not produce real works in the end.

Of course, this aspect also varies from person to person. We need to act as well as think, but we must not just talk but not do. This is absolutely not allowed.

Another story is the story of Newton and one of his contemporaries named Leibniz.

Newton was a person who didn't talk much and focused on doing things. For example, he discovered Newton's three laws. Leibniz is a very famous diplomat, so who is more widely known now? It must be Newton, but this is actually not enough to explain it. It is not good to talk about it, but it is good to do practical things.

Think about how Confucius recounted but did not write anything throughout his life, right? He kept preaching to everyone, then how influential he was.

Buddha Sakyamuni also kept talking and speaking. How much influence did he have on society when he became the leader of a religion? So are the Western philosophers Socrates and Plato.

What they preach is actually actions and preaching. Instead of talking nonsense, talking empty words, clichés, and big words, only asking others without practicing them.

Therefore, everyone must understand this sentence correctly, that is, be agile in action. But it doesn’t mean that you should act recklessly and do it without thinking. That won’t work either.

Talking less means that we don’t talk big words, empty words, clichés, and we don’t make random promises just to show off ourselves.

Instead, let us say more valuable things, just like we need to give more speeches and deliver more value. This is what we really want to do.

That’s it for today’s interpretation, thank you for listening.

Tomorrow morning at 6:30, we will continue to interpret the fourth chapter, Chapter 25

The Master said: Virtue is not alone without neighbors.

[Love]