Leadership Lessons from Confucius: the final chapter

Confucius said: “If you do not understand fate, you have no way of becoming an exemplary person. If you do not understand ritual, you have no way of knowing where to stand. If you do not understand the meaning of words, you have no way of understanding other people.”
子曰：「不知命，無以為君子也。不知禮，無以立也。不知言，無以知人也。」

Learn to focus on what you can control rather than worrying about what you cannot. Learn how to behave appropriately and interact with other people in order to make a full contribution to society. And learn how to judge the true character of other people by knowing when they are speaking truthfully or lying.

Notes

This article features a translation of Chapter 3 of Book 20 of the Analects of Confucius. You can read my full translation of Book 20 here.

(1) This is the final chapter of the Analects. Confucius is reiterating the key requirements for becoming an exemplary person.

(2) His point here is that you should focus on self-cultivation rather than chasing after external trappings such as wealth and fame. See 4.14 and 16.8:

“Do not be concerned that you have not secured an official position; be concerned that you have what it takes to secure one. Do not be concerned that you are not recognized for your abilities; be concerned that you deserve to be recognized for your abilities.”

“An exemplary person is devoted to seeking the way — not just a living. If you plow the fields, there is a chance you may still go hungry. If you apply yourself to learning, there is a chance you may earn a salary. An exemplary person is concerned about pursuing the way; they are not concerned about poverty.”

(3) His point here is that if you do not learn how to conduct yourself properly in both formal and informal situations, you will not be able to engage with people effectively.

(4) His point here is that if you listen carefully to what people say and how they say it, you will be able to determine whether they are speaking sincerely or not.