Recently in Hangzhou, I met a very inspiring person. He once lost over 20 million yuan a few years ago, his company went bankrupt, partners turned against each other, his house was auctioned off by the court, and his family left him. At his worst, he had only 300 yuan left, living on a friend's sofa, afraid to spend more than twenty yuan on takeout.

But in just two years, he almost paid off his debts, restarted his company, and his cash flow stabilized. Someone asked him how he endured it, and he simply said: “Back then, I didn’t think about anything else, I only thought of Liu Bang. A man in his fifties still fleeing for his life, and he ended up becoming emperor. What I’m going through isn’t that hard.”
After going bankrupt, he read the parts about Liu Bang in *Records of the Grand Historian* over and over again, more than ten times. He used to think Liu Bang was a rogue, but after bankruptcy, he understood that Liu Bang’s actions were the clearest survival wisdom—knowing when to admit defeat, when to save face, and when to focus and gather strength.
He learned four key lessons from Liu Bang, which were also his secrets to turning things around:
First, block out shame; how others see you doesn’t matter. After bankruptcy, he was mocked and ignored by former acquaintances, even publicly teased at dinners. He endured it all, just like Liu Bang endured humiliation at the Hongmen Banquet, knowing that protecting his life and keeping opportunities was the most important. Those idle words weren’t worth wasting his energy on.
Second, admitting weakness isn’t losing; it’s gathering ammunition for a comeback. He once worked as a driver for a former supplier, earning 4,000 yuan a month. Remember, he used to be the client, the top boss. Such a gap is hard for ordinary people to accept, but he understood that surviving first was the key to rebounding. Just like Liu Bang ran away when he couldn’t defeat Xiang Yu, conserving strength for a comeback.
Third, put aside pride and minimize emotional costs. He owed money to a former partner, who spread rumors and slandered him everywhere. He went directly to see the person, didn’t care how they cursed him, only discussed repayment plans. Just like Liu Bang, who lowered himself to seek peace for the sake of the world—face is虚, but turning things around is real.
Fourth, learn to share profits; the tougher the situation, the more you need to borrow strength. In his second startup, he only kept 30% of the profits, sharing the rest with his team and partners. Like Liu Bang rewarding meritorious service after unifying the land, understanding how to leverage others’ strength allows you to go faster than fighting alone.
In fact, Liu Bang’s wisdom is fundamentally extreme rationality—not being driven by emotions, not being shackled by face. When it’s time to endure, endure; when it’s time to let go, let go. Focus all your energy on “winning.” Falling into a valley isn’t scary; what’s frightening is being dragged down by emotions. Learning this mindset, no matter how hard, you can turn the tide and reverse the situation.