Leadership Lessons from Confucius: life at forty

Confucius said: “If you reach the age of forty and are still disdained by others, you are finished.”
子曰：「年四十而見惡焉，其終也已。」

Of course, it is possible to change as you get older. It just requires a lot more willpower to shed all those bad habits and unwanted pounds you have accumulated while you have been busy establishing your family and career. A healthy diet and a regular exercise regime also help, not to mention fewer late nights. But, most of all, a deep sense of gratitude for the wonders that life has given you and relentless optimism about the future are required.

Notes

This article features a translation of Chapter 26 of Book 17 of the Analects of Confucius. You can read my full translation of Book 17 here.

(1) This passage has a similar theme to Analects 9.23, in which Confucius points out that “those who reach the age of forty or fifty without distinguishing themselves are no longer worthy of being treated with esteem.”

(2) It is unclear whether Confucius is writing off people who have not made it by the age of forty or exhorting them to greater efforts. Given that he persevered in his quest until the end of his life despite many setbacks along the way, the latter interpretation is more likely.

(3) There’s also a chance that Confucius is lamenting his own failure to achieve a high official position by the age of forty. See 9.9: “The phoenix doesn’t appear; the river doesn’t yield its diagram. It’s over for me!” Despite his tremendous drive and commitment, he experienced his own moments of weakness.

I took this image in the Four Beasts Scenic Area in Taipei.