Workers, Will You Be Shen Gongbao or Ne Zha?

A Note Before We Begin:

Xiao Heiyang, from the well-known WeChat public account "特大号" (Super Big Number), recently published an article titled "This Generation of IT Presales Has Been Diagnosed as Shen Gongbao", which struck a deep chord with countless presales professionals. Venting frustrations can be cathartic—it gives the beleaguered presales community a moment of relief and is good for mental health. But what we truly need is a way forward. That's why we've written this article—to echo and expand upon the themes raised by 特大号, and to share a message of encouragement with all our presales colleagues:

Be Nezha, not Shen Gongbao. Change your destiny through action, not through complaint.

Recently, Nezha 2 has taken the global box office by storm. In the film, the fates of Nezha and Shen Gongbao stand in stark contrast. Nezha defiantly proclaims, "My fate is determined by me, not by heaven!" With unyielding conviction and courage, he shatters the shackles of destiny and writes his own legend through passion and bravery. Shen Gongbao, on the other hand, sinks deeper and deeper into the quagmire of fate. Desperate to take shortcuts to "success," he betrays his own conscience, does things he despises, and ultimately becomes a tool for others' dirty work.

And in the real world, isn't every presales professional fighting their own battle against the tide of fate on their own stage? Presales—will you be Shen Gongbao, or will you be Nezha? Do you believe your fate is in your hands, or in the hands of heaven? This is a question worth deep reflection. This contrast not only reveals the capriciousness of fate but also offers presales professionals a profound insight: Different value positioning leads to dramatically different presales destinies.

I. The Shackles of Fate: The Predicament and Challenges Facing Presales

For presales professionals, fate often seems predetermined. Sales teams breathing down your neck with urgent demands and blame-shifting, customers with ever-changing and complex requirements, competitors lurking around every corner, tight project timelines, limited resources—these all feel like shackles of fate, binding every presales professional. Like Nezha and the former Shen Gongbao, presales professionals constantly face pressure from all sides: customers' exacting demands for solutions, internal stakeholders' urgent expectations for delivery, competitors' relentless advances... These pressures are like the East Sea Dragon King flooding Chentang Pass—at any moment, they threaten to overwhelm us.

In such an environment, presales professionals easily fall into a reactive posture. Customer requirements? We scramble to meet them. Competitor strengths? We scramble to catch up. Project deadlines? We scramble to hit them. It feels like everything is preordained, and all we can do is passively accept and adapt. In the midst of the chaos, during moments of frustrated reflection, have you ever asked yourself: Is this the career I truly wanted? Is this the only way to work and the only path forward?

II. Breaking the Shackles: Value Perception Determines the Presales Path Forward

But Nezha's story tells us that fate is not immutable. Presales professionals can also break the shackles of fate through self-awakening—and that awakening begins with a clear-eyed understanding of your value proposition.

If, like Shen Gongbao, you once felt passionate and hopeful about your path to mastery, but along the way became overly eager for instant success, pinning your hopes on influential others and morphing into a subservient yes-man—believing that if you're obedient, take on all the dirty work assigned to you, and bank on "credit for effort even without results," you'll be rewarded with wins and career opportunities—then your ending is destined to be Shen Gongbao's.

But if, like Nezha, you refuse to be anyone's tool; if you firmly believe that you bring unique value to your company, your sales colleagues, and your customers; and if you continuously hone your skills—then ultimately, you will win customer projects, career opportunities, and a successful life through your own distinctive value.

Presales professionals need to clearly recognize their own value. We are the bridge between customer and product, the architects of solutions, the drivers of projects. Our professional expertise, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities are our weapons against fate. Just as Nezha wields his Qiankun Hoop and Hun Tian Ling (Universe Ring and Red Armillary Sash), a presales professional's skills and experience are the foundation of our standing.

Second, presales professionals must learn to take the initiative. When facing customer needs, we can't simply react—we must proactively guide. By deeply understanding the customer's business and pain points, we can deliver far more valuable solutions. When facing competitors, we can't just blindly chase—we must identify our own strengths and differentiate ourselves. When facing project deadlines, we can't just sprint—we must plan intelligently, optimize processes, and improve efficiency.

III. Taking Control of Your Destiny: Growth and Breakthrough for Presales

Rather than complaining about sales, customers, your company, or fate itself—take action and change yourself!

When presales professionals start taking the initiative, the scales of fate begin to tip in our favor. We can continuously upgrade our professional skills to better serve customer needs. We can refine our solution designs to improve win rates. We can collaborate more closely with our teams to accelerate delivery.

Through this process, presales professionals evolve into the core force of their teams. We are no longer passively executing tasks but actively driving projects forward. We no longer just satisfy customer needs—we shape and guide them. We no longer chase competitors—we surpass them. Dedicate yourself to learning, practicing, and mastering professional presales techniques. Become a trusted advisor to your customers and the strategic backbone of your sales team. And explore how AI can amplify your impact across presales workflows—become an AI+ Presales Consultant!

Just as Nezha in Nezha 2 grows from a rebellious youth into a hero who shoulders the mission of protecting the world, presales professionals can likewise evolve—from an ordinary presales person into a presales expert who controls their own destiny.

IV. Finding Your Mentor: Where Is Your Taiyi Zhenren?

In the film, besides Nezha himself, who helped make Nezha who he became? That's right—his master, Taiyi Zhenren. Taiyi is no ordinary immortal. He is a direct disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun (the Primordial Celestial Venerable), with the potential to become one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect—a position of immense prestige. Taiyi's background is formidable, his power immense, having reached the realm of Daluo Jinxian (Grand Luo Golden Immortal). He wields mighty artifacts like the Mountains and Rivers Sheji Map and the source of Samadhi Fire. Entrusted by Yuanshi Tianzun with the critical mission of reincarnating the Spirit Pearl and raising it to maturity, Taiyi is not just a bearer of an important mandate—he is a potential guardian of cosmic order itself.

Without Taiyi Zhenren's wholehearted teaching and support, Nezha might have shouted "My fate is determined by me, not by heaven!" and then promptly perished in the flames of the Dragon Clan or Shen Gongbao—with no inspirational growth story to follow. His rallying cry would have become Shen Gongbao's dinner-table joke. In the films:

1.  Taking a Disciple and Teaching: Taiyi Zhenren accepts Nezha as his disciple, trains him in magical arts within the Mountains and Rivers Sheji Map, and gifts him legendary artifacts including the Wind-Fire Wheels, Fire-Tipped Spear, Hun Tian Ling, and Qiankun Hoop.

2.  Resurrection and Rebirth: In Nezha 2, when Nezha and Ao Bing's physical bodies are destroyed, Taiyi Zhenren resolves to rebuild them using the Seven-Color Lotus—and despite countless obstacles along the way, he never gives up.

3.  Emotional Support: Taiyi's care for Nezha goes far beyond teaching spells and bestowing artifacts. He is a constant emotional anchor—always supporting Nezha, helping him overcome inner turmoil, and encouraging him to defy fate.

4.  Facing the Heavenly Tribulation: In Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child, Taiyi uses the Qiankun Hoop to suppress Nezha's demonic nature, and ultimately sacrifices five hundred years of his own cultivation to save both Nezha and Ao Bing's souls with the Seven-Color Lotus.

Taiyi Zhenren is not just Nezha's master—he is his guardian and guide. He helps Nezha grow in his own way, ensuring that when Nezha faces the challenges of fate, he always has the strength and conviction to fight back.

But for us mere mortals in the presales world—have you found your own mentor? Someone with top-tier presales experience who has built a comprehensive presales methodology (like the