Once, Yanzi, the prime minister of Qi, went out in his carriage. The driver’s wife watched from a crack in the door. She saw her husband sitting under the canopy, cracking his whip at the horses, looking proud and self-satisfied.
When he returned, she asked for a divorce. Surprised, he asked why. She said, “Yanzi is short, yet he is the prime minister, known throughout the states. Today I saw him—deep in thought, humble in manner. But you, tall and strong, are merely a driver, yet you act as if you have achieved greatness. That is why I want to leave.”
Hearing this, the driver changed his ways, becoming modest and restrained. Yanzi noticed the change and asked about it. The driver told him the truth. Impressed by his willingness to improve, Yanzi recommended him to become an official.
True greatness lies not in status, but in character. Humility opens the door to wisdom; pride only builds walls. The courage to change is the beginning of growth.