Chen Chunhua on Taking Action

Source and verification limitations (2026-11-02): The original WeChat article credits Chen Chunhua, with narration by Pan Ting. The stories about a friend, employees, and a job fair are the author's accounts, not independent investigations. Jordan's alleged extra two hours each day and the figure of 70,000 job-fair attendees have not been verified. The division between successful and mediocre people is the author's view, not proof that taking action necessarily produces success. Sources and reference links (see the explanation above for the scope of verification): https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/BpvoRILWICXOBkyrhcU4TQ ---- #ChenChunhua #SuccessBelongsOnlyToThoseWhoKeepTakingAction Taking action is the most fundamental ability. If you carefully observe the difference between successful people and mediocre people, you will find that they fall into two types. Successful people take the initiative to do things. Mediocre people often act passively; without an external push, it may not even occur to them to act, and they drift from day to day. It is easy to see: successful people keep doing things. They actually act, and keep going until the job is done. Mediocre people do not act. They find excuses to delay until, in the end, they prove that the task “should not be done.” The principle behind success, then, is to keep taking action. ----- If I tell you that everyone can succeed, yet some people do not, what explains it? One key reason is a lack of action. Action is a determining factor in success. In spending time with young people day after day and teaching over many years, one observation has been especially painful: many students are not particularly keen on action. They prefer to imagine, dream, or even fantasize. I once joked that today's young people tend to dream during the day and then cannot sleep at night. Yet the key determinant of success is your action. In other words, if you do not act, you certainly will not succeed. Many people have ambitions and hope to succeed, but few ultimately do. Beyond the desire to succeed, the next step is to be willing to act personally to realize that desire. Only through real action can success ultimately be achieved. At the beginning of one year, I was talking with a friend who told me that he had finally worked out the fundamental management problem facing Chinese companies. We talked at length for two days. I was excited by the conclusions he had reached after years of thought, and agreed with some of his conclusions and lines of research. When I heard that he planned to write up his ideas as a book, I was delighted for him and eagerly looked forward to it. But two years passed, and I still had not seen his book published. After a new book expressing similar views came out this year, I called to ask him about it. He told me that he was still thinking, and was even proud that he had anticipated the market situation two years in advance. But I knew there was a look of helplessness behind his proud tone. This could have been his success, yet nobody knew about it except me. I asked why, and he said that he never had time to write. While researching management practice, I came across something I found extraordinary: the people repeatedly promoted within companies were neither the smartest nor the most capable, but those who were most willing to put in the effort and act without keeping score. I once observed two young new hires. Zhang was an outstanding graduate of a prestigious university, with a relevant degree, excellent grades, and strong management aptitude. Li had graduated from an ordinary university and seemed somewhat less impressive in every respect. After onboarding, Zhang was clearly entrusted with important work, while Li attracted little attention. Six months later, I noticed that Li was always first to arrive at the office and always volunteered for tasks. Whenever he was assigned something, he agreed and quickly got to work. He even did many tasks that others did not want to do, without complaint. Although Zhang still demonstrated greater ability than Li, people began to notice Li and overlook Zhang. After a while, Li began to receive promotions. I naturally believe that ability is very important, but action is even more important. This is something I worry about particularly among knowledgeable young people. I often hear people tell me about their ideas but lament that they have no opportunity to realize them. Many also keep emphasizing that it is not that they are unwilling to act, but that the conditions are not there. In fact, all opportunities are gained through action. Once, while flying, I watched a video that included a documentary about Michael “Air” Jordan. I no longer remember many details, but one thing stuck with me. During basketball-team selection in high school, Jordan was assigned to the second team because he was not tall enough. The coach could train the second team only after the first team had finished. Jordan offered to help the first team, so every day he got two more hours of training than any other second-team player. Years later, as we know, Jordan became “Air Jordan.” Because I frequently visit companies for field research, I often hear executives complain about a shortage of talent. I teach at a university and know very well that large numbers of graduates cannot find work every year. A few days ago, I visited a job fair for research, and an astonishing 70,000 people came looking for work in a single morning. Looking at the crowded square, I was deeply shocked. On one side, companies cannot find suitable people; on the other, large numbers of people cannot find jobs. Why? I consulted many human resources managers, who told me: there are plenty of people with excellent credentials, but they lack a very important quality—the ability to act. Here is a story that has circulated online: A works in a white-collar role at a joint-venture company and feels that his ambitions go unappreciated by his superiors. He often thinks: if only I could meet the boss one day and have a chance to show my talents! A's colleague B has the same thought, but takes it further. He finds out when the boss arrives and leaves, works out roughly when he will enter the elevator, and rides it at the same time, hoping to meet him and say hello. Their colleague C goes further still. He studies the boss's career struggles in detail, learns which university he attended, his interpersonal style, and the issues he cares about, and carefully prepares a few brief but substantial opening remarks. He rides the elevator at the calculated time. After exchanging greetings with the boss several times, he finally has a long conversation with him one day and soon secures a better position. Successful people create opportunities. Opportunities come only to those who are prepared and who keep taking action. Every job, whatever the industry, profession, or position, needs people who are willing to do solid, practical work. Before deciding whether to hire someone, companies first consider questions such as these: “Is this person willing to do the work?” “Will this person persist until the task is finished?” “Can this person take responsibility independently and find ways to overcome difficulties?” “Is this person all talk and no action?” Taking action, then, is the most fundamental ability. If you carefully observe the difference between successful people and mediocre people, you will find that they fall into two types. Successful people take the initiative to do things. Mediocre people often act passively; without an external push, it may not even occur to them to act, and they drift from day to day. It is easy to see: successful people keep doing things. They actually act, and keep going until the job is done. Mediocre people do not act. They find excuses to delay until, in the end, they prove that the task “should not be done.” The principle behind success, then, is to keep taking action. Original: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/BpvoRILWICXOBkyrhcU4TQ