Meng Haoran Searching for Plum Blossoms

Meng Haoran was an eighth-century Tang Dynasty poet who chose a different path than most ambitious scholars of his time. While his contemporaries fought tooth and nail for government positions through the imperial examination system, Meng preferred wandering mountains and writing poetry about nature. He lived as a hermit in the Lumen Mountains, content with simple pleasures like watching plum blossoms bloom in winter.

The story behind this stick captures him on one of his famous flower-hunting expeditions, riding his donkey through the hills with a young servant, wine cup in hand, celebrating the first signs of spring. His approach to life was unhurried and authentic. He became famous not through political maneuvering but by staying true to his artistic vision.

Though he never achieved high office, his poems outlasted the careers of countless bureaucrats.

Spend one evening this week writing down what a good working year would actually look like for you, in your own words, before comparing it to anyone's resume. Then look at your current role and mark which parts match and which parts you are tolerating for someone else's approval. Have one honest conversation with a manager or mentor about pace, not promotion.

Skip one networking event you were attending out of guilt. The plum blooms when it blooms; your job is to be the one who shows up early enough to see it.