Chinese people like to say “At thirty, one stands on their own,” but I think “standing on one’s own at thirty” isn’t that important.

Because for many people, the starting point of life is already different at birth.

Some are born in first-tier cities, with parents who have resources, education, and connections; others are born in remote areas, with ordinary families, and even from childhood have to hustle for a living.

When a person is already thirty but still hasn’t found their footing, put down roots, or gained social status, the reason is often not thirty, but everything they’ve experienced over the past two or three decades.

Where a person is born, what kind of education they receive, what opportunities they encounter, and what era they live in—these factors all affect where they stand at thirty.

So rather than using “At thirty, one stands on their own” to measure everyone, it’s better to admit that life is always a long-distance race with different starting points and different rhythms. Life isn’t about who stands higher at thirty—it’s about who can keep going.