Chapter 24: Standing on Tiptoe

The Failure of Excess

企者不立 — “Standing on tiptoe cannot make you stand.”

Trying to appear taller makes you less stable. The effort to appear greater makes you smaller.

The Failure of Straddling

跨者不行 — “Straddling cannot make you walk.”

Trying to take too large a step makes you fall. Trying to do too much makes you fail.

The Four Selfs

Laozi lists four failures of self-focus:

• 自見者不明 — Self-displaying → not understood
• 自是者不彰 — Self-asserting → not distinguished
• 自伐者無功 — Self-praising → no merit
• 自矜者不長 — Self-glorifying → not lasting

The more you try to promote yourself, the less effective you become.

Excess Food

曰餘食贅行 — “Called ‘excess food’ and ‘useless actions’.”

After a full meal, more food is repulsive. After basic sufficiency, more self-promotion is repulsive.

What Things Despise

物或惡之 — “Things despise them.”

Nature itself rejects these excess actions. They are contrary to the Tao.

The Sage Avoids

故有道者不處 — “Therefore the person with the Tao does not stay in such places.”

The sage does not practice these patterns. They naturally avoid self-promotion.

Modern Application

We are trained to self-promote and push ourselves. Chapter 24 suggests: excess self-promotion backfires.

Key Takeaways

• Trying to appear greater makes you smaller
• Taking too large a step makes you fall
• Self-promotion creates the opposite effect
• Excess is rejected by nature
• The sage avoids excess actions

Next: Chapter 25 — The Four Constants →