Stick #70
Average塞翁失馬
The Old Man Who Lost His Horse
Remember the old Shepherd who lost his horse.
How he rejoiced over what he had lost!
For something lost would mean something gained, Today's puzzle would be in future explained.
Asking about: Career
The Story Behind This Stick
This story comes from ancient China, where an old man living near the frontier lost his prized horse when it ran away to barbarian lands. His neighbors came to console him, but the old man just shrugged and said, 'How do you know this isn't good fortune?' Months later, the horse returned with a magnificent wild stallion.
The neighbors congratulated him, but again he replied, 'How do you know this isn't bad fortune?' His son tried to tame the wild horse, fell off, and broke his leg. More condolences from neighbors, same response from the old man.
Then war broke out. All able-bodied young men were conscripted to fight, and most died in battle. But his son, with his broken leg, couldn't serve and survived.
The tale teaches that immediate judgments about good or bad luck are often premature. What seems like disaster might be disguise.
Your career is in one of those pivot moments where what looks like a setback might actually be positioning you for something better. That promotion you didn't get, the project that got cancelled, or the job offer that fell through — these aren't necessarily career killers. We've seen this play out countless times: someone loses what they thought they wanted, only to discover it freed them up for the right opportunity.
Maybe you're dealing with a restructure that feels destabilizing, or your role is changing in ways you didn't choose. The key insight here is patience with the process. Your career path isn't linear, and right now you're in the middle chapter where the plot twist hasn't revealed itself yet.
The challenge is sitting with uncertainty without forcing outcomes. That networking contact who seemed promising but went quiet? That industry shift that's affecting your field?
These developments are still unfolding. Sometimes the best career moves happen when we stop pushing so hard and let things settle into their natural rhythm.
What To Do Next
Don't make any major career decisions for the next 60-90 days. Instead, use this time to strengthen your foundation: update your skills, expand your network, and clarify what you actually want in your next role. If you're facing a career setback, resist the urge to immediately jump into job applications or major pivots.
Document what you're learning from this experience — it's likely preparing you for something you can't see yet. When opportunities do arise, evaluate them against your long-term vision, not your short-term anxiety.
Sometimes losing the job you wanted saves you from the career you'd regret.
What you feel reading this is already part of the answer.
Next comes specific guidance — when to act, how to move, what to watch for.
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Further Reading
FAQ
- Is Stick #70 (Average) good or bad?
- "Average" is a middle-tier fortune. It suggests your situation has room for growth but requires attention and direction. The real value is in the specific guidance — fortune sticks are tools for self-reflection, not prediction.
- How accurate is Wong Tai Sin Stick #70 for career?
- Fortune sticks work as a mirror for self-reflection rather than prediction. If the interpretation resonates with you, that's the stick doing its job — revealing what you already sense but haven't articulated.
- Can I draw fortune sticks for the same question again?
- Traditionally, you should ask about the same matter only once. Drawing repeatedly often means you're seeking the answer you want rather than the guidance you need. To explore different angles, try a different life topic for the same stick number.