Tao Te Ching teaches you how to survive the "dark period":

1. Use Reversal: Reversal is the movement of the Tao; persist in the direction without feedback.
True change often occurs on the reverse side. During the low valley, feedback is invisible, which is precisely the stage of "Tao in reversal." At this time, do not judge by results, but by direction, and keep doing the right thing.
2. Guard the Darkness: Keep to your darkness, do not show it
In the stage of being unseen and unrecognized, learn to "guard." Darkness is not failure but a gestation period. Being able to stay calm in darkness means truly filtering out noise.
3. Self-Victory: Those who win over others have strength; those who win over themselves are strong.
External uncontrollability, the only controllable thing is oneself. Emotions, laziness, doubt, anxiety—all are objects to "win." The lower the valley, the more inward effort is needed.
4. Remove Cunning: Use clumsiness instead of cleverness, rely on simplicity.
The darkest period most forbid cunning tricks, because short-term paths are more prone to distortion. Return to simple, slow work, doing things with high certainty but slow returns.
5. Embrace the Lower Position: Be willing to stay below, accumulate strength with柔.
Don’t rush to elevate yourself. Staying below is not self-deprecation but a way to accumulate power. A lower position means more space and closer to the root.
6. Win with Stillness: Use stillness to control movement, keep the inner mind undisturbed.
The more chaotic the external world, the more you should reduce internal consumption. Stillness is not avoidance but reducing fluctuations, returning judgment to clarity, and emotions to a stable structure.
7. Follow the Constant: Follow the eternal way, act with long-termism.
The truly effective path is always the "constant way"—rules, repetition, compound interest over time. Do not chase abnormal stimulation but continue doing correct actions that conform to the rules.