Those with weak willpower cannot achieve true wisdom, and those whose words lack credibility cannot accomplish their actions.

This quote comes from the "Self-Cultivation" chapter of Mozi, representing the core discourse of Mozi's philosophy on personal development. During the Warring States period, amidst social turmoil, various philosophical schools were exploring how to cultivate oneself, manage family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world. As the founder of the Mohist school, Mozi emphasized practicality and utilitarianism while opposing empty talk. This statement was proposed when discussing the standards for a gentleman's self-cultivation, emphasizing the importance of willpower and integrity for personal development.

"Those with weak willpower cannot achieve true wisdom" emphasizes the importance of determination. Without firm will, even those with natural intelligence cannot reach the realm of true wisdom. Here "wisdom" refers not only to knowledge accumulation but to profound understanding of life's principles and practical capabilities. "Those whose words lack credibility cannot accomplish their actions" highlights the value of integrity. If a person speaks without keeping promises, their actions will ultimately fail to achieve success. Here "credibility" is the foundation of one's character and the basis of social interaction. Together, these two phrases constitute Mozi's two fundamental dimensions of personality development: internal willpower and external integrity.

According to Mozi's records, when young, Mozi studied Confucian doctrines but found that Confucianism overly emphasized ritual forms while neglecting practical utility, thus establishing his own school. Once, Mozi observed a craftsman making wheels and discovered that if the craftsman lacked concentration, even with excellent skills, he couldn't produce good wheels; if the craftsman didn't keep his word, even promising delivery times, he couldn't complete on schedule. This deeply impressed upon Mozi the importance of willpower and integrity in practice. Later, when debating with Confucian scholars, Mozi proposed: "The Confucian way has four policies sufficient to destroy the world," among which he criticized the fatalistic view that "destiny exists, and wealth, poverty, longevity, early death, order, chaos, safety, and danger have their limits and cannot be changed," emphasizing that people should change their destiny through strong will and trustworthy actions.

This statement has produced multiple influences throughout history: in intellectual history, it became an important identifier of the Mohist school, forming intellectual dialogue with Confucianism's "The commander of three armies can be captured, but the will of common people cannot be taken"; in political history, it provided theoretical support for Legalist ideas of "reliable rewards and certain punishments," influencing the legal construction of the Qin dynasty; in military history, Mohist disciples were known for their strict organizational discipline and absolute execution, described as "Mohist law: death for murderers, punishment for those who harm others"; in cultural history, it merged into folk wisdom, becoming the source of sayings like "a gentleman's word cannot be taken back" and "a real man's word cannot be withdrawn even by four horses." During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Shanxi and Anhui merchants took this as the core principle of business ethics.

To apply this maxim's wisdom in modern life, the following practical methods can be adopted: 1. Willpower cultivation: Use the "21-day habit formation method," setting small daily goals and persisting to complete them; apply the Pomodoro Technique to improve focus; establish habit tracking sheets for visualizing progress. 2. Integrity building: In interpersonal relationships, think thrice before promising, then fully deliver after committing; establish personal credit records tracking trustworthiness; in the digital age, maintain consistency between online and offline behavior. 3. Goal management: Break large goals into executable small steps, enhancing willpower with each completion; use SMART principles for goal setting; regularly review and adjust to maintain reasonableness and challenge. 4. Reflective practice: Daily self-examination: Was my will strong today? Were my words and actions consistent? Did I fulfill my promises? Keep a growth journal recording lessons learned.