I often think about what determines how far someone can go in life.
I do not think it comes down to education or family background. If I had to describe it in one phrase, I would call it a person's underlying character.
More specifically:
Focus, ambition, judgment, curiosity, execution, and confidence.
Execution. Stop asking whether an idea can succeed and start turning it into something real. Instead of staring at the difficulty from a distance, solve the problems one by one while doing the work.
Confidence. Trust my own judgment. Most of what I see on social media is noise, and nobody actually knows what the future will look like. I need to think with my own brain instead of searching endlessly for certainty in other people's opinions.
The viral story about the goose-leg vendor at Tsinghua reinforced this belief for me: the world is far less orderly than it appears. Prestigious credentials are not a substitute for courage. As AI becomes more capable, the gap between elite institutions and ordinary people may shrink considerably.
I should not put anyone on a pedestal. We are all human. Become the best Messi, not a copy of someone else.
I have always considered myself confident, and I rarely worry about what others think of me. I want to keep that.
Before the SpaceX IPO, I believed there was a good chance it would be profitable, yet I bought only a small position. I still do not know whether that was sensible risk control or a lack of conviction. I need a clearer investment system so that the next decision is less emotional.
- Ambition. Once I choose to do something, the goal should be to win—to give it serious attention, work hard, and do the best job I can. I do not want to treat important work like casual entertainment.
In the past, I was often too relaxed. I would try something briefly and then move on. That is something I need to change. Once I begin, I should be willing to think one step further and keep improving the result.
Judgment. I do not see this as my biggest weakness, but judgment still needs maintenance. I want to keep reading, following the news, thinking, and taking notes.
Curiosity. This may be the strongest source of internal motivation. Many minds feel like perfectly still lakes because no question has disturbed the surface. Curiosity creates the first ripple. Problems become interesting, and thinking begins.
Advice to myself
Protect my thinking. Keep family conversations grounded in everyday life when deeper discussions become unproductive, and be deliberate about the people I spend time with. Seek out smart, ambitious people who challenge me.
Table tennis taught me something useful: your level is partly determined by the person standing across the table. A strong opponent forces you to play better. Environment matters enormously.
Keep doing work I genuinely care about, and add one rule: give it everything I have, so I cannot lie to myself about the effort.
Trust myself, and accept the outcome.
Keep evolving.