Confucius didn’t tell his disciples exactly why he became a teacher. However, from the records of his conversations with his disciples (in the Analects), I understood that teaching was the joyous thing he liked to do. Being a teacher myself, I have the same feeling. If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life. A craftsman molds a clay figure for the fun of it. A teacher molds a student for the fun of it.
Confucius didn’t care very much about his career. He was content to live with very little sensual pleasures. Simple meal and plain water, folding the elbow to use as pillow, were enough to make him happy. Conversely, using unwholesome means to become rich and famous were considered unworthy to do like chasing the clouds. (“饭疏食饮水，曲肱而枕之，乐亦在其中矣。 不义而富且贵，于我如浮云”。) He praised his favorite disciple, Yan Hui 颜回 for being happy all the time despite living in extreme poverty (子曰∶“一箪食,一瓢饮,在陋巷,人不堪其忧,回也不改其乐 .贤哉回也!”).
One day, Confucius asked four disciples about their ambitions. He was not pleased with the answers from the first three disciples. Then, Zeng Dian replied: “In the Spring season, putting on a comfortable cloth, invite five or six friends and six or seven children to bath in the river, dancing in the wind on the hill, and then singing along the way home. This is all I want to do.” Confucius was pleased and gave his approval on the ambition of Zeng Dian. He further said: “I want to go with you!” (子路、曾皙、冉有、公西华侍坐。子曰：“以吾一日长乎尔，毋吾以也。居则曰：“不吾知也！’如或知尔，则何以哉？”子路率尔而对曰：“千乘之国，摄乎大国之间，加之以师旅，因之以饥馑；由也为之，比及三年，可使有勇，且知方也。”夫子哂之。“求！尔何如？”对曰：“方六七十，如五六十，求也为之，比及三年，可使足民。如其礼乐，以俟君子。”“赤！尔何如？”对曰：“非曰能之，愿学焉。宗庙之事，如会同，端章甫，愿为小相焉。”“点！尔何如？”鼓瑟希，铿尔，舍瑟而作。对曰：“异乎三子者之撰。”子曰：“何伤乎？亦各言其志也。”曰：“莫春者，春服既成。冠者五六人，童子六七人，浴乎沂，风乎舞雩，咏而归。”夫子喟然叹曰：“吾与点也！”)
Confucius said: “Scholars in the past learnt for the fun of it and for their own happiness. Scholars today learn simply for the sake of selling their knowledge to someone.” (子曰：“古之学者为己，今之学者为人。”) Learning can be a fun thing to do when one is curious to know and eager to learn. Confucius learnt for fun of it and found it joyous to teach his disciples. Confucius said: “Learning something and finding it useful in practice or finding it fun to practice every day (like molding clay figures) really brings a lot of happiness to oneself. Receiving an old friend who is visiting from a faraway land is so wonderful. Being unknown or misunderstood by people but not feeling sad or angry is the fine characteristic of a true gentleman 君子.” (子曰：“学而时习之，不亦说乎？有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？人不知而不愠，不亦君子乎？”) To Confucius, learning is much more about self-cultivation to become a fine gentleman who has perfection of virtue, equanimity and wisdom. Confucius said: “A true gentleman has three attributes, but I have yet to attain any of those. The three attributes are: true compassion makes him have no mental suffering (no anger, grief, anxiety, guilt, etc.); true wisdom makes him have no delusion and doubt about his life mission; true courage makes him have no fear.” Upon hearing this, his disciple replied: “My good teacher, you are simply describing who you already are.” (子曰：“君子道者三，我无能焉：仁者不忧，知者不惑，勇者不惧。”子贡曰：“夫子自 道也。”)
Confucius said: “I started learning the advanced philosophy of the Zhou Dynasty (like attending university 大学) at the age of 15. I attained the ability of independent thinking at the age of 30. At the age of 40, I had no more doubt about the way to live life to the fullest possible and be happy. I could see realities as they really are, accepting the high and low in life with calm and an unmoved heart, at the age of 50. At the age of 60, my ears don’t feel displeased by opposing opinions or extraordinary viewpoints. At the age of 70, I could freely follow my heart to speak or to act, to move or to stop (言行举止), and yet make no mistake.” (子曰：“吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。) These are the wisdom which Confucius wanted to teach his disciples.
Real Confucians generally are more interested to become teachers. Meng Zi said: “There are three things which make a true gentleman happy. Becoming the king of the whole world is not one of them. The parents are alive and well, the brothers and sisters are healthy; this is the first kind of happiness. Having no guilt or remorse because one is virtuous and done no wrong publicly and privately; this is the second kind of happiness. Having many virtuous and brilliant disciples from around the world to teach; this is the third kind of happiness. (孟子曰：“君子有三乐，而王天下不与存焉。父母俱存，兄弟无故，一乐也；仰不愧于天，俯不怍于人，二乐也；得天下英才而教育之，三乐也。”)
RESILIENT KID 