In Stanza 24, Laozi offers a concise and powerful critique of ego, ambition, and self-aggrandizement. Through explicit imagery and direct language, he shows how those who try to elevate themselves above others separate themselves from the Way (Tao 道). Instead of rising, they fall; instead of becoming strong, they become brittle.
This stanza warns against excessive striving and self-importance and reminds us that the Tao favors humility, balance, and restraint.
False Elevation Fails
"Those on tiptoe don't stand up; those who take long strides don't walk."
Laozi opens with physical metaphors: Standing on tiptoe makes you wobbly and unstable. Taking exaggerated strides may seem fast, but they throw you off balance. These images speak to the danger of forcing oneself upward or forward instead of letting progress arise naturally.
In Taoism, growth should be effortless, emerging from alignment, not effortful reaching. When you try to get ahead by forcing it, you fall behind.
The Ego Blocks True Perception
"Those who see themselves are not perceptive. Those who assert themselves are not illustrious."
Laozi begins a series of internal critiques: If you are focused on yourself, you can't see clearly. Self-centeredness narrows awareness. Ego blinds perception. Those who push themselves forward, who assert dominance or attention, are not truly illustrious. True greatness is recognized naturally, not declared. The more you try to shine, the more you block your own light. This is the Taoist ideal: quiet brilliance, not loud display.
Self-Glorification Lacks Substance
"Those who glorify themselves have no merit. Those who are proud of themselves do not last."
Here, Laozi speaks plainly: Boasting cancels merit. When you constantly talk about your own virtue, it undermines its authenticity. Pride leads to downfall. The proud are brittle. They cannot adapt, and so they break when pressure comes. This echoes a theme repeated throughout the Tao Te Ching: The high must bend low. The full must empty. The proud must fall. True virtue is humble, invisible, and lasting.
The Tao Rejects Excess
"On the Way, these are called overconsumption and excess activity."
All the behaviors above, boasting, striving, and pride, are seen in Taoism as overconsumption (Yu 余), taking up more than one's rightful place; excess activity (Xing 行), unnecessary, forceful action that disrupts harmony. The Tao does not support overdoing anything, not in speech, ambition, movement, or self-importance. When we exceed our natural rhythm, we disconnect from the Way. We may become noisy in a silent field.
The Sage Abstains
"Some people disdain them, so those with the Way abstain."
Laozi ends with a quiet reminder: The Tao-aligned person (the sage) is discreet and restrained. They witness the overdone behavior of others and choose not to imitate it, not from judgment, but from wisdom: Why chase praise if praise is fleeting? Why try to stand above when true strength lies in remaining grounded? Those who walk the Tao choose a low, quiet path, where lasting influence arises from humility, not assertion.
Practical Application
Walk Naturally, Don't Overreach
- Don't strain to get ahead; move in rhythm with life.
- Trust timing. What's yours will come without force.
Don't promote yourself
- Let your actions speak louder than words.
- True merit is felt, not announced.
Stay Humble
- The more pride you release, the more resilient and real you become.
Avoid the Trap of Compairison
- Don't measure your success by being "above" others.
- Be aligned, not exalted.
Observe and Abstain
- When you see ego, ambition, and excess around you, resist the urge to join in.
- Keep your center. Stay soft, low, and real.
Stanza 24 teaches that those who try to stand out fall out of step with the Way. Laozi invites us to walk softly, let go of the need to impress, trust that what is real does not need to be advertised, and be whole by being small.
In the field of the Tao, the tallest stalks fall first. The humble ones sway with the wind and remain rooted.