In this world, the gaokao is much simpler than entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurship is much simpler than investment.

The main reason people feel that the later stages are easier than the earlier ones is simply that someone has already broken down the earlier steps into fine detail. After it’s been laid out so clearly, if you still can’t pull it off and get called out, your pride takes a hit—and you refuse to admit it. So you insist that the later parts must be easier.

It’s really just about saving face.