There are many successful people who, when they give impassioned speeches or write self-help books, lavish praise on the “I can do it” mindset. But in fact this attitude is not suitable for promotion, because in modern society, so-called successful people are very, very few. Their success certainly has something to do with their good mindset, but more importantly one cannot ignore the factors of opportunity and luck. It is impossible for everyone to be that accomplished in life. If everyone insists on the “I can do it” mindset, yet cannot have a healthy estimate of their own potential, then the result for more people will be disappointment. This is why the market is now flooded with countless self-help books, yet there are still quite a lot of people who are dissatisfied with life or confused; of course, the number of successful people will not increase simply because self-help books sell well. Therefore, from my personal perspective, I would rather have self-help books bring people a mindset of healthy acceptance—an acceptance of the possibility that you may be mediocre your whole life and spend your whole life accomplishing nothing of note. Of course, having this mindset of being willing to remain mediocre does not mean actually achieving nothing. I think this is a higher kind of confidence than believing that one can surely succeed: it is absolute trust in oneself.
The slogan “I can face it” sounds much weaker than “I can do it,” yet it is a deeper confidence. First of all, this confidence is not blind; it can only be proclaimed after one has fully assessed one’s own capacity for coping. Secondly, this confidence is thoroughgoing, rather than like “I can do it,” which is limited in time and space and therefore cannot guarantee lifelong persistence. When a true brave person resolves to shoulder something, he will not say “I can do it,” but rather “I can face it”—I can face the hardships and twists and turns of the road ahead; I can face all possible difficulties and obstacles, including the possibility of final failure; even if I ultimately and inevitably move toward failure, I still have the confidence to face the worst consequences and bear my responsibility—that is true fearlessness. This is what is meant by great courage appearing timid, perhaps?
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Li 2005-12-12 10:27:18
I had just finished reading Miyang’s excerpts from Kierkegaard’s diary, and then I saw this. It is heartening and inspiring.
Chong 2005-12-12 22:13:41
There is a poem by Shou Zhi that goes, “Believe in the future.”
Translated from the Chinese original with AI assistance. The original text is authoritative.
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