As you reach middle age, if you still feel that money is hard to earn, it means you haven't figured out how to make money yet. These 12 points will tell you how to get enlightened.

1. The essence of making money is cognitive upgrade, not chasing opportunities. True enlightenment comes from shifting from "finding the windfall, betting on opportunities" to "observing patterns, using logic." The world operates under stable underlying rules; long-term profits come from understanding, executing, and compounding these rules, not from luck.

2. Certainty returns ≠ replicable returns. Any project promising "guaranteed earnings" fundamentally violates business principles. For ordinary people, only probabilities, risks, and time are controllable, not the results themselves.

3. Stable profits take precedence over frequent switching. As long as the current venture still generates positive cash flow, do not easily divert your attention. Switching industries means relearning, trial and error, and re-investing time, which almost inevitably leads to inefficiency in the short term.

4. Deep cultivation is the only leverage for ordinary people. Business returns require long-term accumulation. Without enough time to settle, you cannot establish cognitive advantages, execution advantages, or trust barriers.

5. There are only two directions for business models. Either focus on a few high-value clients or cover a broad audience relying on high turnover and repurchase. Trying to satisfy everyone will result in losing everyone.

6. Price wars are the result of low-quality competition. Low price itself is not an advantage; sustained low prices will only shrink survival space. Long-term competitiveness comes from differentiation, efficiency, and irreplaceability.

7. Wealth levels are constrained by multiple factors. Diligence determines the lower limit, character influences stability, and environment and opportunities determine the upper limit. Most people cannot break through structural limitations, but they can improve their quality of life and sense of security through choices.

8. Passion and expertise are the fuel for long-termism. Passion sustains you through cycles, while expertise enhances your efficiency. The combination of both enables victory in long-term competition.

9. The essence of business is service, not products. Products are just entry tickets; service is key to retention and repurchase. Emotional value, trust, and experience determine long-term gains.

10. Face and making money are inherently opposed. Business is fundamentally about exchange and negotiation, requiring rationality, humility, and results-oriented thinking. Emotional reactions and pride can directly turn into costs.

11. Education level and wealth are not causally related. The education system teaches explicit rules, but making money depends on understanding implicit rules. These can only be gained through real-world competition and long-term practice.

12. Solve survival first, then pursue dignity. Economic foundation determines your options. Temporarily lowering your stance is a strategy to gain greater freedom in the future.