No one can teach me who I am

No one can teach me who i am.

No one can teach you who you are.

A lot of things can be taught,

but self discovery,

one of the few things that cannot be taught,

is the most important.

享乐

看了一篇Fabregas讲述他去年某些经历的报道，其中一句特别有意思：“生活是用来享受的，因为今天你在这，明天就可能走了。”（More and more I'm realising that life is to be enjoyed. You're here today and gone tomorrow.”）用笨蛋Krix的英文来说，就是：“Live like you are dying.”；用深奥一点的词来阐明，就是“生命无常，惜福享乐”。

但享乐是什么？是享受快乐。但我们要追求怎么样的快乐呢？这一点看起来有点因人而异，但我觉得个人应该追求长久深远的快乐。享乐可以是偶尔的纵欲；但纵欲未必是享乐，沉溺于欲望之泥潭，换不来长久的快乐。享乐可以是短暂的牺牲，先苦后甜，但不是只记得牺牲。

快乐，是自找的。只是，人生真的有那么多乐子可寻吗？不如意事，十常八九啊！亲朋离去，生命夭折，疾病贫困，种种天灾人祸，叫人心情沉重，如何乐得起来呢？的确，在这些事情上，我们难以转悲为喜，但我们却可以决定几时要走出伤痛。减少痛苦的时间，不就是增加享乐的时间了吗？生命，其实不过是如此简单的数学题，但要悟出当中道理，每个人需要不同的经历和时间。在那篇报道中，Fabregas说他以前需要三四个小时才能走出失败的挫折，现在却只需要半个小时。

我们永远无法控制情绪的到来，但我们可以控制情绪的离去，无论是用疏导、抒发还是转化的方式。我们或许不会明白各种情绪的来源和形成，毕竟有许多是进化残留下来的，但人最可贵的地方就是理性思维，只要我们善于思考，就能顺利地化情绪为力量。

人生匆匆，光阴无价，为什么不让自己有多一点快乐的时光，开开心心地走下去呢？

P/S：俗世多愚，智慧无价，有感悟性尚低，难以参透古典奥义，唯有从可信赖的智慧大师学习，当下潜心研究大前研一和教授温格的言行。

Onset of demise

How often an empire was built from courage that breeds from war, and how often its demise started from the negligence during peace. It has never been changed, from the ancient kingdom to modern conglomerate. It will never be changed, due to the fundamental human weakness: complacency. Failure breeds success, success breeds complacency, and complacency leads to collapse.

Where is the prophecy to predict the onset of demise? History, as history will repeat itself, as long as the fundamental weakness exists. It is a little bit funny though, in spite of super advancement in science, technology, business and virtually every areas, this weakness is still so STRONG.

Look at the common notion about stories of successful models or whatsoever, and compare with the universal perception about alarms of possible crisis. Don't you think peoples are more interested in knowing the former one although the latter one may hold more truths? Shouldn't it be more critical to know how not to fail first before pursuing the knowledge of how to success? Yet peoples are quick to criticize warnings if it didn't turn out right(or didn't turn out right fast enough for them to realize), while do not question hard enough on successes, even when these success are short-lived (which means they shouldn't be hailed in the first place as they are bound to fail as they capitalize on long-term benefit to create illusionary success) or subjected to survivorship bias.

It has been proven psychologically that, human tends to attribute success to own efforts while put the blame on environment for failures (self-serving bias), though the reverse scenario are more likely.

On top of this, perhaps it is even harder to realize that things could take million years to build, but just need a second to be ruined. Infallible? What a damn good joke.

Pessimism of the will

"Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will."

Came across this motto in the newspaper and like it so much. It is like speaking out something that I want to say for long, in such a clear fashion.

I don't like the general notion of the exclusivitity of pessimism and optimism. For me both co-exist and fluctuate interchangebly, it's only as of this moment which end do you incline towards. But that's not the main theme here. Compare the motto with the following:

"Optimism of the fool, pessimism of the will."

and you will know why I shouted eureka.

As the old Chinese saying goes, no one can live without worries. The question is, which aspect of life should you worry and how do you face it and conquer it. Worries don't really kill but avoidance and ignorance kill.

And hence, to me, first sentence is a powerful and motivating motto; while second sentence, is nothing more than lazy escapism. Let's face it, life is not always a bed of roses. Quality time does not always has to be lying on the bed, and rest is the reward for hardwork, but not an end by itself.

Pessimism of the intellect spots unavoidable problems and brings forward the necessary worries, for the optimism of the will to plan strategies and solutions.

浅谈脑力

前几天看到一篇关于科学与科技的文章，是说两者是在不断共同演进的，很少鸡先还是蛋先的问题。更重要的是，两者都是演进出来的，而不是如陨石般从外星降落，或如电子般突然飞跃。

看来，无论是生活哪一方面的灵感，都是努力和运气两者的共同累积。创新，是在积累现有知识和技术的基础上，演变出来的。直觉，是在潜意识或无意识中混合不同经验的各种触觉，表露出来的。至于如何，就要看那神秘的大脑了。由此可见经验、阅历和见识的重要，基础要稳要广才能叠得高。

在看Tony Buzan关于脑力和记忆的书，对于其帮助众说纷纭，所以不如直接亲阅。正如我的一位朋友说的，很多东西有没有用，是看你希望从东西那里得到什么。而我觉得，能不能从那里得到什么，还要看自己的层次和领悟力。

魄力

智慧来源于敏锐的洞察、深刻的思考和坚持不懈的努力。魄力来源于思考后的选择和判断，选择和判断之所以果敢是因为思考的深入和信念的坚定。魄力本身就包含了智慧，没有智慧的“魄力”只能是卤莽。情感冷漠、意志薄弱的人是不可能拥有智慧和魄力的。- 转载 《雅虎知识堂》

想法：锲而不舍地“观察 - 思考 - 判断“，让整个思维流程一气呵成，“运筹帷幄之中，决胜千里之外”，多么潇洒。这种魄力，是智力和勇气的完美结晶。情感冷漠的，毅力再盛，也只能有暴君的凶狠；意志薄弱的，善心再大，也只能有弱者的悲哀。这句警戒，太符合我心中所想，巧合地概括了我的现实观察，欣喜。

vis

This is the first time I feel so much importance about vision, a vision that envisages the outlook of events and draws the colourful rainbow in the sky of future. If we do not believe that tomorrow is a sunnier day and future will be brighter, what are we holding on to live? If we do not believe that we can change to become better and brighter, what are we holding on to exist? Hope, could be all that one has.

If, the cruel cold hard harsh environment prohibits growth and dims hope, leave for better future is the only option, though tremendous risks may be just outside the door. If, in the worst case that leaving is not an option, then there are two choices: overthrow evils that are crowning if you are powerful enough, or accumulating power to assist in making such scenario more likely. We might not reap what we sow for long, but at least seeds are planted.

It is a war of vision, as no vision or false vision are what make evils. Taking things when they come or strike, is too late and powerless. The only counter, is vision.

鲁钝

忘了从哪里看到“宁生败家子，莫生鲁钝儿”或类似这样的句子，因为败家的最多把家产败光，害不到别人；但鲁钝的，害了人却可能不知道，点不通又怪不了，终极无奈。

觉得挺有道理，却Google不到这个句子。但我深信很少天生注定鲁钝的，因为人类大脑的潜能无限大、无限广、无限深，就看几时能被启发而已。

Contra

I think we often have contradicting needs, like having a little pair of angel vs demon near our ears. That's why we are complicated and none of us is exempted. The only difference is, some are aware of this some are not. For those that are aware, they can minimize (but not eliminate) contradicting themselves and become clearer in their life pursuits. Or, they can house both voices and yet maintain a sweet balance to adapt to ever-changing environment. For those that are not, they can moan about one thing today and grief about another thing tomorrow, without knowing that those two things actually contradict against each other. Or, they can further deceive themselves that they are faultless and develop themselves into a pseudo moralist or hypocrite.

In much simpler term, no pain no gain. We all dream about gain without painting the pain in the picture, and fool dreams about all types of gains and stay scared of all kinds of pains. What a wonderful land! But reality is revolving around yin and yang, without yin there will not be yang, and vice-versa. Just like there will not be any happiness if there is no sadness. The question is, how much more can we minimize sadness and maximize happiness. Some move forward for better future, and some are pushed forward by greater evil of past. A better choice of two fortunes or lesser of two evils? Depends on which way you are more inclined to see it, but I don't think we can have wholesome happiness if we do not have the slightest sense of sadness.

"But hey, why bother so much about this?"

"Oh yeah, you are welcome to stay in your wonderland. It's me that couldn't afford such luxury, or no one grants me such luxury."

You can have the best of each road but you could only choose one to walk. The road that you choose not to continue, and its alongside sceneries that you would miss perhaps forever, are called sacrifices. - C'est la vie.

The shackles of fear

Driven by fear to be accountable and laziness to absorb responsibility, some people master vast range of skills which include evading, reflection and so on. They would never bother to do hands on , like to hands off everything and yet fighting hard to justify their salary.

Whenever a problem occurs, they would ask one thousand and one questions. Sounds like they really care huh? Actually they don't even bother to waste a microsecond to read or digest information of which they may find answers for their own questions.

They just need an answer to be answerable, or they need a line stating that this is not their responsibility. And then they would be very happy to remain silent. To them learning worths nothing, except for learning all those skills.

The best thing is to have nothing happens. What a boring life they wish to live. Binded eternally and fully controlled by fear, they are losing their existence second by second.

Pessi vs Opti

A person who is too pessimistic, perhaps haven't been through some of the magical moments of life and tasted its sweetness. A person who is too optimistic, perhaps haven't seen or felt most of the tragedies and melancholies. Nobody can be purely pessimistic or optimistic, and hence you would always wonder, how would a pessimist carries on his or her life, and how would a optimist lives when he or she finally has to face some of the musics.

A little sense of pessimism keep us alert, while a little sense of optimism keep us alive. Roller coaster of emotions, again.

Emotional fuel

Any emotions could be barriers that undermine progress, or be converted to fuels that power up life.

自疯

为什么疯子是疯子？因为他们只活在自己的世界里。但我们就不是疯子了吗，我们也不是只活在自己的世界里么？很多时候，我们只能用自己的感觉去认识世界，只能用自己的眼光去判断人事，即便是摆在眼前的事实，我们也无力正确处理所有讯息，而只能用思维去过滤和抽取仅仅所需的。什么样的人，就看出什么样的世界。很唯心？你能不唯心吗？当局者迷，众人皆醉。

什么是情商？不就是自欺而已么，看你要欺骗自己让自己快乐点，还是要让自己伤心点。世上的万事，或许都是随机发生的，但我们就是要欺骗自己，为它赋予意义，好让自己有力量前进，无论是向坏的还是向好的。自欺欺人不好？我们每天都在做，不是我们想欺人，而是我们未必懂我们在自欺。

人就是疯子。疯子不好么？至少活在自己的世界比活在别人的世界好。更何况，疯子也有不同类型的，有的活得很开心，有的活得很自虐，有的让人很开心，有的让人很无奈……你是哪一种？

Pride

Pride, is too abstract to be defined by external physical objects. It hides inside the inner heart, flickers only if one starts to accept oneself, and shines when one can laugh at weaknesses, not weaknesses of others but self weaknesses.

By the way, all of these are my self deceptions here. :)

Be strong

Just some thoughts triggered by something, for someone:

The lower you fell, the higher you bounce back; the harder you failed, the harder you try. Why can't you stand up again after falling down? Why can't you try again after failing? Why are you so scare of falling and failing? Why do you want to give up yourself? Who can help you if you can't even help yourself? Who will be there to show sympathy if you keep struggling in mud? And even if there is, how much can sympathy help rather than hurting your pride?

We stay strong and keep improving ourselves, not only for our own good, but also for friends and families that love us, not to have worries and heartbreak, for us.

轻率

轻率的疏忽，尤其是偏心的轻率的疏忽，有时候是很容易让人心寒的。有些事情，我是永远不会懂得。当然，我的原则可能是无谓的。

Self worth

Life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes your confidence soars sky high, sometimes you doubt your self worth. This fluctuation is greater during life's transitional period, especially at present times that most of us are going to graduate.

Where does one's confidence comes from? I don't have time to find a book and learn about it but I was told before that it comes from two sources:

a) One did something that one feels proud of. So, being the same person, one shall be confident that one could do it again.

b) One improves oneself daily by daily and live as a better person compared to the past.

So long as you are good at something, you will feel positive. How good is good? Better than other person is good, relatively. Everyone compare themselves with others in heart in some aspects, don't you? Thank goodness we have multiple intelligences. It virtually rules out the possibility of a person being worst candidate in every aspects.

I thought of the strong Chinese classic words: 天生我才必有用.


I googled the translation of it and it returns:
i) Heaven has endowed me with talents for eventual use.
ii) All things in their being are good for something.

Nah, both translations sound weak. It doesn't resonate as strong. Does this sound better?


But it's not as strong as "be yourself!" though it means differently. Words are, the shorter the stronger.

Sometimes it's good to ponder and wonder are we really good at something. Because by doing so, we are already better than some people.

Cogito, ergo sum. (Latin)
I think, therefore I am. (English)
我思故我在。

Moody

A short recap from HRM - Psychology part.

"Mood", different from "emotions", is less specific and less likely to be triggered by a particular event; but triggered by a series of events. Mood is a relatively lasting affective state.

In short, you get "bad mood" when a series of shits happened. These shits, if does not happen back to back, are immaterial. But when they add up, they become holy shit, and you feel "moody".

Having said so, it's pretty ironical. Why immaterial things add up become material? One possible reason is that they may seem immaterial intuitively but contradict with your beliefs, indirectly or unconsciously. Another reason is that different combination of these shits give rise to a false sense hood of something you fears. So there's no clear escape from this affective state without help from "reason".

These things are called shits because they are undesirable. They are undesirable because they preclude your desire. So either you disassociate them with your desire (trying to persuade yourself that they are not related), or you reduce your desire.

After all, it's a matter of "desire". Somehow an analogy between "Warlord and Lands" and "Human and Desires" appears in my mind. Sometimes warlord expands lands, sometimes warlord concedes lands, depending on situation; but size of the land matters most in warlord's heart. When a warlord no longer cares about land and doesn't control any land, he/she becomes a hermit.

There's no way human can become saint, and so desires will forever remain the central theme of our heart. The question is, which part to expand? which part to concede?

Principle & Prejudice

To live with wrong principles is better than to live with no principle. By adhering to principle, even the wrong one, you seek consistency in your beliefs and behaviours. And if you are a little bit smarter to realize that your so called principles may be wrong or obsolete, then you will scrutinize it frequently to adopt a better one, leading to a better understanding of yourself and more complete control of yourself. Diverted to a wrong path before made you really appreciates the importance of walking the right path. If there is no absolutely right or wrong path, but only appropriate path at the appropriate moment, then the significance of refreshing principles frequently is too obvious to be mentioned.

The same can be said about prejudice. To live with wrong prejudice (is there right prejudice anyway?) is better than to live with no prejudice. This may sound wrong but to think about it, none of us is free from prejudice. None of us can proclaim that. Anyone who thinks that he or she is absolutely objective is an absolute hypocrite. Anyone who is a little bit smarter always prepare to admit that he or she have wrong prejudices against something or someone. It's just because none of us is perfect. So I wouldn't mind to develop prejudice quickly if need to and leave rooms for rectification. Frequent rectification of prejudice brings objectiveness closer. The earlier we get into a wrong path, the earlier we get into the right path.

Live with whatever principle and prejudice you may be, just keep an eye to change it to a better one.

Confidence and Competition

If you are normal student, you need to find jobs; if you are top student, jobs chase after you. That's reality, no matter how harsh it may sound to someone. But since it's a hard fact, why would one think that it's harsh? Competition is part of life and source of motivation.

Unless you are top of the world, you've have to accept that there are stronger person than you. So why scare of others being better than you? You just need to bring out your best. There are two sources of confidence, to compare with others or to compare with yourself, in the past. Obviously the latter motivates you better. You may still want to compare with others to know where you stands but you shouldn't feel inferior or intimidated by them. If not you wouldn't even dare to challenge yourself, to improve yourself.

If life's a long race, temporary advantage and superiority could only carry you a bit further because complacency is the natural enemies of it. Only passion and confidence that arise from continuous self improvement will bring you to where you should belong to.