Third Cohort, Session 3 · Being Useless and Being Genuine

Ordinary people—or nobodies—can make their own media too. Being genuine to the point of shamelessness can actually help you win.

Key insights

Ordinary people—or nobodies—can make their own media too,Be sincere to the point of shamelessnessand can actually win. Everyone is pretending to be impressive. If you admit you're a nobody, that'sa way to stand out from the competition。If you have no shame, nothing can defeat you; the path of utmost sincerity can move people. Fu Hang is an example: he admitted he was a nobody, but kept striving to live, and ultimately became the champion.

5.1 The Nobody Persona

The struggles of ordinary people

• Question: Can I make my own media if I don't know how to do anything?
• Traditional thinking:
  • You have to be impressive to make your own media
  • You have to show that you're successful
  • You have to be an expert
  • Ordinary people have no chance
• New thinking:
  • Even losers have value
  • Sincerity touches people's hearts
  • a way to stand out from the competition
  • Ordinary people can win too

The advantages of the nobody persona

• Everyone is pretending to be:
  • Rich
  • Successful
  • An expert
  • Impressive
• You honestly admit:
  • I'm a nobody
  • I'm ordinary
  • I'm trying
  • Stand out through differentiation
• Results:
  • More credible instead
  • More down-to-earth
  • More resonant
  • Win support

5.2 The Power of Sincerity

The Fu Hang Case

• Fu Hang (stand-up comedian):
  • Clearly said that he was a loser
  • But keep doing your best to get by
  • So sincere it was shameless
  • Won the championship of "King of Comedy"
• Core points:
  • Doesn't pretend
  • Authenticity
  • Self-deprecation
  • Strike a chord

The way of utmost sincerity

• Utmost sincerity = sincerity taken to the extreme
• Manifestations:
  • Doesn't hide his shortcomings
  • Doesn't pretend to be outstanding
  • Accepts his ordinariness
  • But still works hard
• Result:
  • Break through the facade
  • Build trust
  • Gain support
  • Ultimately succeed

5.3 Let go of your pride, and you are invincible

Let go of concern for appearances

• The constraints of pride:
  • Afraid of embarrassing yourself
  • Afraid of failure
  • Afraid of being laughed at
  • Not daring to try
• After letting go:
  • Not afraid of embarrassment
  • Dare to fail
  • Unconcerned with judgment
  • Act boldly
• Results:
  • Nothing holding you back
  • Travel light
  • More likely to succeed
  • Invincible

The strong know themselves

• Know you're a loser → You're actually strong
• Don't know you're a loser and still show off → A real loser
• Socrates:
• "The only thing I know is that I know nothing."
• The logic:
  • Knowing that you are ignorant → wisdom
  • Not knowing that you are ignorant → foolishness
  • Accepting that you are ordinary → strength
  • Pretending you are amazing → weakness

5.4 Find what you love

Test your aptitude

• Method: Try more things
  • Try different fields
  • Find what makes you different
  • A niche hobby could also be a talent
  • Gaming, diving, and cooking are all possibilities
• The key:
  • It has to make money
  • Be able to support yourself
  • Otherwise, you risk neglecting your ambitions for your hobbies

The role of parents

• A condition for supporting your child:
  • What your child likes must be able to make money
  • Test it against reality
  • Try out an esports school
  • If they can't handle it, they can go back to studying
• Examples:
  • Love playing video games → Try attending an esports school
  • If they can handle it → support them in continuing
  • Can't handle it → Go back to studying
  • A lesson from reality

Key quotes

• "If you can calmly accept that you are a loser, you are a strong person."
• "A person without shame is invincible under heaven."
• "The way of utmost sincerity: being sincere to the point of shamelessness."
• "Fu Hang openly calls himself useless and wins over the audience with his sincerity."
• "Knowing you're useless → strength; not knowing you're useless and still acting superior → truly useless."
• "Talent is discovered through testing, not through thinking alone."
• "Your passion must be able to earn you money; otherwise, it's just an indulgence that undermines your ambition."

Practical application

Build a "useless person" persona

1. Admit you're ordinary: Accept your imperfections
2. Show your true self: Don't pretend or hide anything
3. Self-deprecating humor: Use humor to defuse things
4. Keep working hard: A loser, but not giving up

Find your passion

1. List your interests: Everything that interests you
2. Reality check: Can it make money?
3. Test in small steps: Validate in 3 months
4. Give it everything you've got: Go all in once you're sure

Practice checklist

• ☐ Accept that you're an ordinary person
• ☐ Show your authentic self on social media
• ☐ Set aside your pride and dare to try
• ☐ Test 3 potential areas of interest
• ☐ Validate whether they can make money