When Chris in the film decides to take that unpaid securities-analyst position, I wonder if fear was already sitting in his chest. I wonder whether he regretted it when the tears came on the subway. In the end, we see him succeed. You could say it is only a story—inspirational stories are built that way. Yes, it is only a story, and only a few people get to be its protagonist.
I am not trying to leap from where I am to the top in one step, nor am I after some unprecedented achievement. I want to pursue something that matters to me.
Mingyue once said:
Before this, I had never gone all out. Whether studying or looking for work, I never gave everything, and I never fully got what I wanted. Sometimes I made excuses for myself. I told myself I was arrogant—that I did not need to try my hardest and could still make it. That was a lie. I was afraid of failing.
It landed right in the middle of me. In twenty years of living, I have never gone all out for anything, and I have never truly gotten what I wanted. Afraid of failure, I pretended to be detached; I said I did not care, against what I actually felt. I do not know whether I was fooling others or myself.
A few days ago, I finally settled one thing. I stopped resisting it. I stopped lying to myself. I know what it means. If I follow what I actually want, there is no other choice. Now I have decided on this road. No matter how many people try to talk me out of it, I will not change. If I do not try now, my whole life will stay like this. Maybe I will never accomplish anything remarkable, but at least I will not regret it. I have never been as certain as I am now.
Don’t ever let somebody tell you (that) you can’t do something. People can’t do something themselves they wanna tell you that you can’t do it. If you want something go get it.
Do not talk to me about dreams—they are too unreal. I do not want to be an empty dreamer anymore. This is just pursuit. Opportunity favors the prepared.
Keep pursuing, and one day I will say out loud that I am someone with courage.
There is no Y in happiness, there is I.