Life Without Limits

I remember back in middle school, there was a guy at school who could sprint the entire 1,000-meter race. For someone like me, who struggled to finish even 1,000 meters, he was like a god. By high school, I learned about marathon runners who could run 42 kilometers in one go. For someone like me, who still found 1,000 meters challenging, they were also godlike. It wasn’t until college that I was inspired by a book one day and decided to run 10 kilometers at once. It wasn’t easy at first, but I pushed through. I still remember how I felt after that run: exhausted, exhilarated, happy, relieved, and clear-headed. I felt something deep inside me had shed, giving way to something new. Simply put, it was a kind of confidence. That was in 2015, and I was 20 years old.


Fast forward to the 1,000-meter test that year, where I, who was usually among the last, effortlessly took first place for the first time. The former first-place runner, slightly grudgingly, said to me, "I remember you were at the back last year. How did you get so fast this year?" I just smiled without replying. I still remember how I felt then: happy and relieved. In the following years, I successfully completed my first 21 kilometers, my first 42 kilometers, and eventually my first 100 kilometers.


Fast forward to the second year, when I wanted to study abroad and had to start preparing from scratch. There was a lecture on a school cooperation program, and I attended to gather more information. Afterward, I approached the lecturer, explained my situation, and she told me that with my current qualifications and the application process, it was 100% impossible to get into my dream school. I still remember how I felt hearing that: defiant and stubborn. That year, I was 22.


Fast forward to the third year, when I anxiously received the decision that my prospective supervisor was willing to accept me into their lab. I remember I was interning and saw the message on my way back on the subway. I still remember how I felt then: calm and composed. That year, I was 23.


Fast forward to the fourth year, when I embarked on a few months of life as a foreign student, struggling through daily preparation for university exams (I had entered as a preparatory student and had to go through another round of exams). I had to adapt to language barriers, research, and everything around me. That year's competition was intense, with rumors that there were no more slots for foreign students. People around me started planning for alternatives, either switching to English programs or applying to other schools simultaneously. I still remember how I felt then: tense, pressured, and uneasy. On the first day of the Chinese New Year, the results of the graduate school entrance exams were released. At 10 AM Japan time, I nervously entered my exam number and anxiously searched for it among the results. In the bottom left corner, I saw my number. A surge of electric excitement coursed through my body. Then, I heard a knock on my door from my friend next door, who was also with me. I opened the door, and he told me we both made it. We were so happy we jumped up and down like kids, hugging each other. Later, we found out that out of all the foreign students, only the two of us were admitted. I still remember how I felt then: excited, happy, satisfied, and moved. That year, I was 24.


So, what am I trying to convey with all this? I believe it's about not setting limits for yourself. Things that once seemed impossible can be entirely achievable if you really try (putting in all your effort, leaving no room for doubt). If you don’t try, you won’t fail, but you won’t succeed either. If you do try, things might turn out great, or they might not. Who knows? However, if you genuinely invest your heart and soul, the results are often remarkable. Life has no limits. Focus on the moment, believe it, create it.


It's now 2023, and I’m 28 years old. Some people might be financially independent by 28, while others are just starting out in society. For me, 28 is a great age because I have rediscovered my lost curiosity and desire for knowledge. I long to explore, discover, and create without setting limits for myself, telling myself what I should or shouldn’t do. Only by truly trying will you discover some of the unknowns, and that feeling is wonderful.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Systematic Thinking: A Thought Model

Preface During my lunch break today, I suddenly recalled an article I previously wrote, "How to Become a Quick Learner?" I then realized that conceptual learners are essentially systematic thinkers. They start by considering and understanding things from a macro perspective. When it comes to learning specific knowledge, it becomes easier to grasp and they tend to have more perseverance. This is because they can see the end goal from a holistic view and are less likely to get lost in the details of the present. I remember that before my graduate studies, my learning method was cramming: whatever the teacher taught, I learned. Most of the time, it was rote memorization without understanding, which worked well for exams. I used this method to pass the Japanese proficiency test in a short time. However, the side effects were obvious: developing an aversion to learning, retaining information poorly, and having an unstable foundation, among others. But during my graduate studies, m...
Read more

Process vs. Result

Yesterday, while talking with a friend who works in AI (NLP) about the astonishing capabilities of ChatGPT, I was struck by how it evolves and upgrades like a monster. No matter what kind of question you throw at it (except for those heavily subjective), it can respond convincingly, and the better your prompt, the more accurate its answer. A few days ago, I upgraded to version 4.0, which supports online document reading, images, etc., and it has already started becoming more ecosystem-like. I realized that much of my work will be replaced by it. I jokingly said that if I keep using it, I might become a person who has lost the ability to think independently. However, I also noticed that while its answers are good, I don’t get that exhilarating feeling of having truly achieved something. When my friend said: "ChatGPT, to a large extent, uses human feedback reinforcement learning through dialogue, which diminishes our direct experience of achieving something." I suddenly remembe...
Read more

June 2023 Summary

Foreword This is the first time I'm publicly sharing my monthly summary and time tracking on my blog. I think this is a great start because I plan to continue this practice and hope more people will be inspired by it. For others, it might serve as a good source of inspiration; for myself, it's a way to push myself to boldly express, think, and examine myself transparently. I've been tracking my time since June 9, 2022 (you can check out that post), and it's been over a year now. I know I still need to continuously optimize my time and spend it on what I consider important. Focus Time in June 2023: 154 Hours and 43 Minutes. Compared to May 2023's 186 hours and 13 minutes, this is a decrease of over 30 hours, equivalent to an hour less of focused time per day. I noticed that the main decrease was in my work-focused time, which was only 99.58 hours. Work (Focused: 99.58 Hours) Compared to previous months, my focus on work significantly dropped in June, totaling only 99...
Read more