“慎终如始，则无败事” explained!
We often launch endeavours with fire—passion, determination, grand visions. Yet that initial spark rarely carries us to the finish line. Too many of us abandon ship somewhere between the enthusiastic start and the near-complete end: the fitness plan that fades after weeks, the quit-smoking resolution that crumbles under stress, or even Apple’s electric vehicle project, abandoned after years of investment.
The real gap isn’t courage to begin; it’s wisdom to finish. Laozi addressed this thousands of years ago, reminding us to treat the ending with the same caution and care we give the beginning.
Laozi’s Original Teaching
The passage reads:
民之从事，常于几成而败之。慎终如始，则无败事。
Pinyin:
Mín zhī cóng shì, cháng yú jī chéng ér bài zhī. Shèn zhōng rú shǐ, zé wú bài shì.
In plain English:
“When people undertake affairs, they often fail just when success is nearly in reach. Be as cautious at the end as at the start, and failure will not occur.”
The insight is straightforward, yet it rewards unpacking.
Why We Fail When Almost Finished
Success is never automatic. As Tolstoy might paraphrase: happy endings resemble one another, but failures each have their own story. Countless unique pitfalls exist, but several recur with painful regularity.
- Impatience for Quick Wins
We crave instant results, especially when seduced by “hacks” or “shortcuts.” In my decades teaching Chinese, I’ve watched this pattern endlessly. The field overflows with promises: master characters via mnemonics and pictures, or read newspapers fluently after 2,000 characters. Eager learners often see early gains, but proficiency demands sustained time, energy, and consistent effort—no bypass exists. When reality hits, impatience turns to disillusionment, and they quit just as deeper mastery beckons.
- Complacency
As the finish line appears, momentum feels assured. We mentally celebrate victory prematurely. Yet the project isn’t done until it’s done. Complacency invites fatal slips.
Google’s Nexus Q illustrates this vividly. Unveiled with fanfare at Google I/O in June 2012 as a glowing orb for “social streaming,” priced at $299, it rode the wave of Android’s dominance. Google seemed convinced they had another hit. But reviews highlighted its limitations—expensive, feature-poor compared to cheaper rivals like Apple TV. Overconfidence led to swift cancellation; pre-orders were refunded, and no full consumer release ever occurred. A promising start derailed by assuming the end was secure.
- Disrespect and Eroded Trust
Partnerships begin in good faith, but time erodes respect. One side grows dismissive; trust fractures; the collaboration collapses, often at great cost.
The EVGA–NVIDIA fallout in 2022 offers a textbook case. After nearly two decades of collaboration—EVGA building premium graphics cards around NVIDIA chips—the partnership imploded over the RTX 40-series. Prototypes and pre-production units were complete, yet EVGA halted everything, publicly accusing NVIDIA of “disrespectful” behaviour: withholding key information and imposing last-minute changes. No RTX 40 cards from EVGA ever shipped. The company exited GPU manufacturing entirely, a devastating blow to its core business. As of March 2026 (the time of writing), NVIDIA continues to dominate, but Laozi reminds us: cycles turn. Arrogance toward partners today may invite reversal tomorrow.
How to Carry Things Safely to the End
Laozi’s prescription is simple yet demanding: maintain beginner’s caution throughout—tread lightly, stay vigilant, treat every late-stage step as if it were the fragile first.
- Shun quick wins; commit to steady, unglamorous consistency.
- Guard against complacency; assume nothing is finished until it truly is.
- Preserve respect and trust, especially when power imbalances tempt disregard.
Contrast these failures with enduring successes. Cal Ripken Jr., baseball’s “Iron Man,” played 2,632 consecutive games from 1982 to 1998—a record that broke Lou Gehrig’s and still stands unbroken. He ended the streak voluntarily in 1998 on his own terms, then played until 2001 retirement. No shortcuts, no flash—just daily discipline, respect for the game and teammates, and unwavering focus. His legacy endures through quiet persistence.
Warren Buffett offers another model: decades of patient, principled investing built immense wealth without spectacle. He remains humble, ethical, consistently crediting partners, mentors, and even competitors.
NVIDIA’s current leader, Jensen Huang, drives extraordinary success—but if reports of strained partner relations persist, the cycle Laozi describes could turn. That may affect how he ends his career.
In the end, endings matter as much as beginnings.
Closing thought
Studying Laozi teaches alignment with how the universe operates.
We recognise cycles in all things. We add knowledge while subtracting mental obstacles—desire, resentment, stubbornness, excess. We avoid grasping too tightly at fame, wealth, or status. And finally, we cultivate the qualities that see us through: caution at every stage, patience over haste, respect over arrogance.
Starting with fanfare feels exhilarating. But true accomplishment lies in crossing the line with results intact.
The beginning ignites; the wise ending completes.
Dive Deeper
If you like this article, you’ll love the full e-course, Aligning with the Dao: Laozi’s Wisdom for Modern Anxiety and Achievement. It distills Laozi’s teachings into four practical lessons: embracing cycles, clearing mental dust, releasing excessive grasping, and persisting wisely to finish strong. Explore the full program to gain calmer decisions, less stress, sharper timing, and true accomplishment.
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