Today, let’s all agree on one thing: we don’t have to try so hard.
That “I don’t want to try anymore” feeling is not laziness—it’s a collective mood. You push and push, yet the payoff never matches the effort. Life starts to feel like a bad bargain, and eventually, you collapse. But collapse can be good. It’s the emotional purge that clears the fog, the release that brings you back to reason.
Afterward comes clarity: letting go of illusions, facing unkind truths, and—most importantly—picking yourself back up. Because no matter what, tomorrow keeps showing up, and so must you.
So every now and then, give yourself permission to embrace the side of you that wants to slack off. When you feel like cheating life for a day, know this: you’re allowed to. Throw your hands up, ignore expectations, and remember—you’re still lovable, even when you’re not performing.
Author Hao Huichuan calls this the “Chuan-style” philosophy: a set of golden rules that cut through confusion with humor and blunt honesty. It’s not that you’re not working hard enough—it’s that you’re working too hard. His words are written for anyone who’s ever felt drained in their career, relationships, or friendships from giving more than they had to spare.
Rule One: Who Says You Have to Leave Your Comfort Zone?
“Do whatever makes you feel good. Don’t second-guess it.”
Self-help culture loves to preach about leaving your comfort zone. But let’s be honest—if someone is cozy and content, why force them into the storm? You don’t need to be a “rainmaker” to live well.
Yes, I once stepped out of mine—but only because I was pushed. Facing redundancy, I left a cushy, low-stress job for something completely foreign, a role that didn’t suit my personality at all. Some people thrive on adrenaline and the thrill of the unknown. Others—like me—prefer consistency, stability, and the calm rhythm of familiar routines. Think of it as living like a capybara: steady, unbothered, happy in your pond.
The endless sermons about growth outside comfort zones only breed anxiety. What if, instead, the life you’re in right now is the right one for you? It’s not an accident. Every choice you’ve made has brought you here. So why blow up the tracks you’ve laid, just to prove you can be “uncomfortable”? Some people love tearing muscle fibers at the gym; others are perfectly fine being a soft body that breathes. Neither is wrong. Comfort is not the enemy—it’s a choice.
Rule Two: It’s Time to Let Your Parents Down
“Stop chasing five-star reviews.”
I recently came across an online thread about a lifelong “good kid.” He’d never worried his parents, followed their advice on everything—including his college major—and yet, when he chose a career they hadn’t planned for, he felt guilty for “disappointing” them.
My reaction? Sympathy, yes—but also applause.
So many of us wear “never disappointed my parents” like a badge of honor. But why? You’re not an Uber driver collecting five-star ratings. Life isn’t a customer service gig where zero complaints equals success. Pleasing parents completely is impossible anyway. They want you to date late, then marry early. Have kids quickly, then never consider divorce. Their standards shift like quicksand.
The truth is simple: parents and children are two people who created a third—who is, at the end of the day, a stranger. You share a home, but you are three distinct beings, with different worldviews, even down to how to squeeze toothpaste. Yes, they were once your age. Yes, they care about your future. But they cannot, and should not, live it for you.
To stop trying so hard—to stop chasing impossible approval—isn’t failure. It’s freedom. Whether you stay in your comfort zone or dare to step out, whether you thrill your parents or quietly let them down, the only real measure is this: are you living in a way that feels true to you?
