Without the experience of the elderly, we cannot pursue wisdom; without the maturity of the middle-aged, we cannot pursue success. We must lay a solid foundation!
Teenagers and young adults in their twenties lack the wisdom and insightful eyes of the elderly, the inner weight of the middle-aged like fruit on autumn branches, the mature composure and quiet joy of success, and the pure childlike innocence and creativity—all of which we have possessed and will possess. Focus on building a solid foundation, mastering knowledge and skills, doing the most, meeting the best and most people, and doing the most diligent and honest work.
The backdrop for young people should always be vast mountains and seas, boundless grasslands, and expansive blue skies. We are eagles soaring in the sky, galloping steeds, ready to explore and try new things. Of course, bring the wisdom of your predecessors, the philosophy of the past and present, the opportunities given to you by the appreciation of successful people, and the undying creativity of your childhood. Settle down like a galloping steed or a soaring eagle, to explore and try. The world will be a vast plain for you. Horses are simple, passionate, brave, and intelligent; eagles are sharp, swift, and fierce.
At this stage, what's important is reflecting on and memorizing books, mastering pure knowledge and skills, training your mind, strengthening your body, and keeping your life organized, belongings tidy, and yourself clean and refreshed. It's about honing the fundamentals of each interest to perfection, maintaining a consistent frequency of diligent imitation and learning, having many admired teachers to learn from, implementing their earnest teachings, and working diligently every day to become their prized student, even harder than they were in their youth. Diligence and hard work will lead to success.
Study each subject well, earn credits, participate in activities, earn scholarships, achieve perfect attendance, and understand how to respect and utilize rules—only then can you grow healthily. At this stage, independence is paramount. It means doing your job well, having a job that supports you, and taking it seriously. If you find a management job, understand capital and business operations. If you find a technical job, develop it to a unique level. For every ordinary job, cultivate unique skills before leaving. If you don't meet your own standards, persevere. If you have a job, dedicate yourself to it, meeting as many people as possible. If you find a job you love, cherish it and realize its full potential. Continue to develop your hobbies if you have the capacity, but don't put the cart before the horse, because health is paramount; hobbies are always just a supplement.
Talent and hobbies are the most beautiful parts of life; learning and work are fundamental. For self-actualizing individuals, neither should be neglected. Those who haven't built a solid foundation, like Jia Baoyu in *Dream of the Red Chamber*, live a life of luxury yet seek revenge and retribution, unwilling to read the Four Books but instead engaging in Zen meditation, viewing scholars as utterly useless, are themselves incompetent aristocratic young masters, lacking even the responsibilities of their status, spending their days associating with people like Xue Pan and Feng Ziying. He possesses talent and refined aesthetic taste, aspirations that transcend the mundane, but his aristocratic status creates a contradiction between talent and virtue. However, he's unwilling to devote any energy to the daily tasks he dislikes but must undertake. Before he can recognize the incompatibility between his beliefs and society, and find solace in life (like Cao Xueqin's highly specialized writing), his family is raided, and his eventual renunciation is quite plausible—otherwise, wouldn't he have become a novelist? Is
n't some of the deliberate zero-score phenomenon in contemporary college entrance exams also rooted in this mentality? The unrealistic pursuits and fragility of youth are brutally crushed on the whetstone of reality. People like Jiang Duoduo and Xu Mengnan pitted foundational knowledge against aspirations. Instead of focusing on building a solid foundation, they dreamed of the future and pursued their dreams, neglecting practical work. Netizens saw this as hype, but it was simply their own foolishness. Ji Jian, online name Canghai Xinkong, understood philosophy, science, and literature, but to express his rebellion against the education system and the lack of understanding from his parents, classmates, and teachers, he deliberately scored zero on the college entrance exam, then worked on a construction site, writing a book titled "Living Like a Dog," a true record of his journey. However, through hard work and deep reflection, he became a boss and author. No matter what a person does, a solid foundation is paramount. Without a strong foundation, one cannot live; without a strong foundation, one cannot be a good young person; if one cannot be a good young person, one may not be a good middle-aged person; if one cannot be a good middle-aged person, one may never live a good life.
Young people writing books should still learn from masters, hone their language skills—be concise, humorous (no writer doesn't think their style isn't humorous)—and improve their vocabulary. Don't worry about whether the writing is good or bad. Everything happened naturally. If I wasn't there, I simply wasn't there; I was far from it. Therefore, I'm definitely not a genius. IQ tests are foolish, just as believing in intelligence is the most unreliable thing. Cleverness alone will never lead to lasting success. Some say Nietzsche was out of touch with the times; I think he was ahead of his time, not backward. We might look down on those who are behind the times, but we simply can't see the visionary ones. Youth allows for trial and error, but it shouldn't lead to real mistakes. Efforts in the wrong direction might not yield results, but someday those results will surprise and comfort you, as long as we keep moving forward.
Don't dwell on others' success; think about what paths you can learn from, constantly focus on how you can live your life well, and continuously expand your horizons. That's all.
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