# Avoiding excess: summary

Warns against overfilling, excessive sharpness and arrogance, then discusses withdrawing after completion.

https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/laozi/chapter-09-avoiding-excess

## Source and summary

[Laozi · Dao De Jing · Avoiding excess](https://zh.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E9%81%93%E5%BE%B7%E7%B6%93%20%28%E7%8E%8B%E5%BC%BC%E6%9C%AC%29&oldid=2354026#%E4%B9%9D%E7%AB%A0)

> 持而盈之，不如其已；

Warns against overfilling, excessive sharpness and arrogance, then discusses withdrawing after completion.

## Editorial interpretation

The example below adapts this chapter’s questions to modern work. Evaluate it against the actual purpose and conditions; ancient politics, warfare or ethics do not establish business results.

## Business application

Even after success, define expansion limits that preserve supply and quality and conditions for transferring responsibility.

1. Choose one relevant case and record its objective, available resources, verified facts and unknowns.
2. Compare options using this chapter’s perspective; choose a limited trial, owner, deadline and a measure to assess the result.

Deliverable: A comparison using avoiding excess, with conditions for acting or declining.

## Limits

The summary selects main points rather than translating every sentence. The example is not a demonstrated business method; check it against stakeholders’ conditions and actual evidence.

## Validation question

How does this chapter’s perspective change the selected option or priority, and what further evidence could change the decision?

[Laozi: a guide to the Dao De Jing](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/laozi)

[This material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/laozi/chapter-09-avoiding-excess.en.md)

Updated: 2026-10-13 · v1.0.0