Men after thirty, truly, are at a critical juncture. Many major turning points in life often occur during this stage. If at this age you haven't awakened or opened your mind, then the second half of your life will likely become increasingly difficult. Midlife confusion is completely different from youthful confusion. A young person who is not wild or reckless is not truly young. The confusion in youth stems from the world being too vast, experiences being too few, and choices being too many.

That kind of confusion contains hope, longing, and light. But midlife confusion is almost despair. Having reached the halfway point of life, having seen storms, rain, snow, and experienced separations and reunions; having labels of identity stuck on you, shoulders burdened with responsibilities for the old and young; past choices, present perceptions, and future uncertainties intertwine like a palette thrown into a washing machine—you keep adding detergent, only to end up with a chaotic gray mass. Most middle-aged people are actually already exhausted.

If at this moment you encounter a major upheaval and no one pulls you up, you might fall into despair and find it hard to recover for the rest of your life. The essence of a midlife crisis. Many middle-aged anxieties seem to be emotional issues, relationship problems, or a sense of existence, but fundamentally, there is only one: not enough money, not enough confidence.

Six self-rescue principles when facing a midlife crisis:

First, focus on making money, don’t indulge in “虚的东西” (虚的东西 means “虚幻的东西” or “things that are illusory”). Money can directly determine your dignity, face, social circle, living standards, and your position in family and society. Many so-called midlife crises, when broken down, are economic problems.

Second, silence is golden; participate less in meaningless arguments. There are only three things in this world: other people’s affairs, which you cannot control; what heaven’s will is, which you cannot control; and the rest, which are your own affairs. As long as it doesn’t involve core interests, just don’t argue, don’t prove yourself, and smile.

Third, learn to enjoy solitude. All relationships change with perception. Those who cannot keep up with you will eventually leave—that’s a rule, cruel but true. The only one who can truly accompany you to the end is yourself. If a middle-aged person still fears loneliness, it often indicates they haven’t truly matured.

Fourth, understand the laws of how the world operates. Why do friends betray trust? Why do lovers part ways? Why are there disagreements within families? Because the world itself is constantly changing. Clinging to “一成不变” (unchanging) will only lead to being eliminated by the times.

Fifth, strengthen your beliefs, not your emotions. Beliefs are invisible and intangible, but they are the most powerful. All human actions are driven by beliefs. The steadier your beliefs, the greater the chance of achieving your goals. The results you see now stem from past thoughts; your current mindset determines your future fate.

Sixth, uphold integrity and avoid shortcuts. All success comes at a cost, without exception. At this age, you no longer have the time or capital to pay for the high costs of deception.

Every word you say and every deed you do now is either a savings for the second half of life or an IOU. May you become a clear-eyed, spiritually transformed person rather than a complacent, self-destructive, and self-consuming clever person. Keep going.