Lao Tzu on stepping back when the work is done. From Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, about the 4th century BC.
An old Chinese story is told in the book Xunzi, from the 3rd century BC. In it, Confucius visited the temple of a duke of Lu and found a strange vessel.
Empty, it leaned to one side. Half full, it stood up straight. Filled to the brim, it tipped over and spilled. He used it to teach his students the danger of being too full.
The Tao Te Ching, credited to Lao Tzu, says in chapter 9 that it is better to stop short of full than to carry a brimming cup, and that when the work is done, you should step back. In 1783, George Washington handed his command back to Congress at the height of his fame, and went home.
Set the cup down while it is still full. Practical advice: when something you built is going well, plan who takes it on next.
Well established · checked against 9 sourcesName one thing you could hand on while it is still going well.
“I built something that works, and I can’t let go of it. How do I know when to step back?”
Stop Before It Spills and the other 11 ideas of Tao Te Ching, a minute at a time.
Download on theApp StoreEvery idea is drawn from the public-domain text, and its names, dates and quotes are checked against the sources listed with it. The paintings are made for Counsel; they show the scene, not a historical record.
