At the impasse, turn inwardObstruction
When you cannot move, turn back and repair yourself.
Jian is water before the mountain — water ahead, mountain behind: neither advancing nor retreating. Its turning is reversal: first ask whether you are ready. Outer hardship is often an inner memo. Jian does not ask you to quit; it asks that, stopped, you drive your roots deeper. All who later walked far were first able to stay inside Jian.
The lines repeat: going is obstruction, coming is good fortune — the same motion with reversed direction changes its nature. When stuck, no need to prove forward motion; drawing back to mend yourself is also progress.
Practice Take one thing you keep failing to push. Ask: is it truly impassable, or am I unprepared? Write both answers down.