I’ve been thinking about this quote from Yu Minhong, and it hit me right in the feels. He said, if you have to choose between killing yourself to achieve something and dying young, versus taking it easier and living to 80 or 90 while watching the world change, he’d go with the latter. No shame in that, right? I mean, we’ve all been sold this hustle culture that says you must grind 24/7 or you’re a failure. But let’s be real—I’ve tried that, and guess what? My back hurts, I’m tired, and I’m not even 35 yet. So maybe, just maybe, there’s wisdom in slowing down.
But here’s the thing—I’m not saying ditch ambition. I’m saying we need to redefine what success means. For me, success isn’t about the number of hours I work or the money I make. It’s about waking up each day with energy, looking back at the end of my life and feeling like I actually lived, not just existed. Yu Minhong’s point isn’t about laziness; it’s about longevity. He’s essentially asking: what good is all that achievement if you’re not around to enjoy it?
Of course, someone might argue that without pushing hard, you won’t achieve anything meaningful. But look at the people who built great things—they didn’t all die young. They knew when to rest, when to laugh, when to take a break. I’m not saying I’ve mastered it. I still push myself too hard, and I frequently catch myself checking emails at 11 p.m. But that’s the struggle, right? We’re all learning.
So here’s my invitation to you: next time you feel the urge to pull an all-nighter or sacrifice your health for a deadline, ask yourself—will this matter in 30 years? Probably not. What will matter is whether you’re still around to see your kids grow up, to travel the world, to simply breathe. That’s the real win. And if Yu Minhong, a guy who built a billion-dollar empire, says it’s okay to take it easy once in a while, maybe we should listen. After all, living long enough to watch the world change is a kind of success too. — Stay sane, my friends.