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墨書 Inktalez
My niece is exceptionally talented in her studies. In her middle school, she is like a shining star, consistently ranking among the top three in her class.
In subjects like Chinese, Mathematics, English, Politics, History, and Geography, she races ahead on her academic journey like six galloping horses, never neglecting any subject. The key is that she is also a beautiful girl, like a blooming flower in the garden of knowledge, pleasing to the eye.
Once, while we were having a meal together, I noticed her slightly tired yet clever little face and offered her a piece of meat: "You work so hard in your studies; you should eat more to nourish your body."
My niece replied lightly, as if a gentle breeze had passed by: "Compared to some of my classmates, I don't think I'm working that hard. I'm just trying a bit more than they are." Her eyes sparkled as if hiding countless little secrets.
"Oh? How do you try your best?" I asked with curiosity, like an eager explorer.
"I make sure I understand all the knowledge points when doing exercises and don't overlook any blind spots or doubts. It's like exploring a dense forest; I can't miss any corner. The more I struggle with something, the more I can't ignore it. Each time I complete a test paper, it's like clearing away weeds in the forest. By reducing the knowledge points I haven't mastered, the things I don't know become fewer and fewer. Naturally, by the end of the term, I'll be able to perform well on my exams."
As she spoke, she gestured with her chopsticks, looking serious as if telling me a mysterious treasure story.
I couldn't help but praise her: "You're amazing, niece; you understand quite a lot for someone so young."
Perhaps what my niece described is a method of learning—each time learning a bit more thoroughly means that within the limited knowledge points, there will naturally be fewer that are not mastered.
During the final exams, facing those recycled questions was like a skilled hunter confronting familiar prey; she handled it effortlessly and achieved high scores.
In fact, this principle applies even more broadly to life. A thousand-mile dike can be breached by an ant's hole; a nine-story platform rises from accumulation. The accumulation of small bits may seem insignificant—like tiny grains of sand—but when placed on a foundation, they can gather into a towering structure and create transformative reactions.
My niece understands at such a young age that putting in effort bit by bit can lead to vastly different results. Yet in reality, too many people only shout about their efforts to inspire themselves without truly striving to be worthy of their own potential.
It's like a group of birds wanting to fly; they only flap their wings in place and loudly proclaim their dreams without ever truly working hard to soar into the sky.
I remember during my graduate school entrance exam preparations; many people were eager to compete for spots at prestigious universities like 985 and 211—goals that shone like distant lighthouses.
At first, everyone was full of confidence and enthusiasm, like warriors about to embark on a great journey.
In the first half of the year, they began setting goals as if they could already see themselves at their ideal institutions. Later on, feeling that there was still plenty of time and that the exam date was far off, they became less urgent about studying. It was like a long-distance traveler gazing at a distant destination and thinking there was ample time, thus slowing down their pace.
So during the summer vacation, I go home to enjoy the air conditioning and eat watermelon, looking as relaxed as a cat lazily basking in the sun on a summer day.
During the National Day holiday, I catch up with friends over milk tea, immersing myself in a laid-back atmosphere.
When I feel tired, I watch a variety show to relax, feeling as if the sofa has absorbed me; when I'm fatigued, I scroll through Weibo and laugh, my eyes glued to the phone screen as if it holds the entire world; when I'm annoyed and restless, I pick up my phone to vent my frustrations, releasing my discontent into the virtual world.
While others study for ten hours a day with quality and efficiency, like a precise clock operating effectively every minute and second, I review what I've learned on the way back to my dormitory, like a diligent farmer carefully counting his harvest after work. I study for eight hours a day, but after cutting out the fluff, my actual effective study time resembles a reduced cake. While reading, I yawn, looking drowsy like a lethargic Sloth.
Eventually, while others find studying increasingly easier, like athletes running swiftly on a flat road, I find it more painful, trudging through a muddy swamp like a Traveler.
Tasks that could be completed in one day stretch into two for me, resembling an inefficient craftsman who always delays deadlines; despite having an average foundation, I boast that it's no big deal, much like an oblivious little ant trying to move a large tree without realizing its own limited strength.
Mental relaxation leads to physical indulgence. Those who tell themselves "good enough" from the start often end up far from their goals.
The gaps grow exponentially until you find yourself unable to catch up in a short time. It's like two rivers that initially had little difference; one continuously gathers tributaries and becomes wide and turbulent while the other gradually dries up and shrinks.
Some people consistently increase their abilities, like children saving money in a piggy bank, accumulating wealth; while others deplete their resources, akin to someone constantly pulling money from their pockets until they become empty. In this ebb and flow, the differences grow day by day.
Sometimes we feel that when life seems tough and we feel defeated and want to give up, it unexpectedly clears up again, allowing us to continue believing.
It may seem like luck has turned in our favor, but it's actually that little extra effort we've unconsciously put in that brings about change.
It's like groping forward in a dark tunnel; taking just one more step allows you to see the light at the exit.
Those who have been complacent from the beginning will have predictable outcomes, much like unplanted land that cannot yield crops. Meanwhile, those who persist with dedication may still be deceived by life but at least won't lose so quickly—like ships struggling to sail through a storm; they may be battered by winds and waves but won't easily capsize.
Too often we expect tenfold returns for every bit we invest; without returns, we stop investing.
Fearing that even a little extra effort is wasted is like a stingy merchant afraid of losing money by investing more; fearing that doing even slightly more is losing out leads you to do less and less. Life treats you worse in return—like a mirror: if you are indifferent to it, it will be cold towards you too.
Next, you should start to comfort yourself by going with the flow and being content.
However, going with the flow should come after doing your utmost, not from a place of inaction. Just like a climber, one should strive to their limits before calmly accepting the result of not reaching the summit, rather than standing at the foot of the mountain and saying to go with the flow.
You might think that studying for ten hours a day is your limit, but many people do this every day. They are like a group of tireless steeds galloping across the vast grasslands of knowledge.
You may feel that you barely have time to relax after work, yet some people use those eight hours after work to change their lives. They are like fireflies quietly shining in the night, illuminating their path with their efforts.
Outstanding individuals set high standards for themselves, and thus excellence becomes a habit, as natural as washing your face and brushing your teeth every day.
Human desires can be inflated by money and power, just like a balloon being continuously blown up; meanwhile, human abilities can be compressed and diminished by laziness, much like a sponge losing water when squeezed.
The more you shrink back, the further you drift from the answers to your problems and from your desired goals. In the end, saying "go with the flow" is better than admitting laziness; it’s like a failure finding their last piece of cover.
Indeed, there are differences in talent and intelligence among people, but the commonalities between individuals far outweigh those rare differences.
Sometimes we exaggerate external distractions while neglecting our own strengths. It's like in a competition where we focus too much on the opponent's strength and forget that we also possess capabilities.
You don’t have to push yourself too hard; even if you did, you wouldn’t become Newton or Einstein.
However, you can choose to become an expert within a small circle, just like being the most agile fish in a small pond.
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