The Art of Blooming Late

Mozart struggled during his teens and early twenties. Though already a productive composer, he had to work as an organist (风琴手)to make ends meet.

Underpaid by his frustratingly average work, he felt a     1     (burn) desire to devote more time and energy to his art. So after a period of doubt and deliberation, that’s exactly what he did. He quit his job, set up shop in Vienna and settled down to     2     turned out to be the most creative period of his life.

If you aspire to do more personally fulfilling work — say,     3     (found) a start-up or turn a hobby into a full-fledged (完全成熟的) career — drafting a plan of action can be slightly discouraging. Even so, a few newly-released books suggest that it’s entirely possible to develop the clarity of purpose to create your own version of Mozart’s Don Giovanni.

In Aristotle’s Way, the classicist Edith Hall describes the ancient philosopher’s belief     4     becoming conscious of our skills, talents and aptitudes and then using our resources to make the most of them is the foundation of living a good life. If you’re not working toward reaching your unique potential — as Mozart did — it’s normal to feel dissatisfied. If that’s the case, says Aristotle, it’s your duty to make things right.

What, then, is holding you back? Rich Karlgaard, author of Late Bloomers, argues that our culture’s obsession with early achievement discourages us from pursuing our passions.     5     having varied interests, studying widely and enjoying our time — essentials for self-discovery — we’re encouraged to pass the tests, become specialists right away and pursue safe, stable and profitable careers.

As a result, most of us end up choosing professional excellence over personal fulfillment and often we lose ourselves in the process.     6     your job requires high-demanding tasks, being a specialist isn’t a treasure. Having a wide range of skills and experiences is     7     (beneficial) because it allows you to be quick-minded and creative.

The authors of Dark Horse, Todd Rose and Ogi Ogas of Harvard’s School of Education, noticed the negative effects of early specialization in a study of people who came out of nowhere to achieve great success. “Despite feeling     8     (overwhelm),” the two write, “most dark horses reluctantly struggled along for years before finally coming to the realization that they were not living a fulfilling life.”

To prompt this kind of revolution in your own life, Rose and Ogas suggest creating a goal tailored to extremely specific activities     9     truly inspires you. As you move forward, there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, it’s never too late to become yourself. There are also benefits of taking a long winding path to self-fulfillment.     10     (remember) that age typically brings wisdom, resilience, humility, self-knowledge and creativity. As research has shown, small daily changes can have a profound effect and slowly but surely lead you closer to the person you think you ought to be.

8 . Invest in Your Passion to Find Success

Achievements aren’t easy. In fact, you will never feel a sense of achievement from doing something that is easy for you. The first time I climbed a mountain that was more than 5,000 meters high, it was _________: I was cold, I felt sick, and I couldn’t eat. But the satisfaction of persisting and achieving my goal was great. _________, the second time I climbed a mountain over 5,000 meters high, since I was better _________, it was not as hard. But reaching the top this time did not feel like as much of a(n) _________. So the more difficult it is to achieve the goal, the more you have to love it and have a passion for it in order to reach it.

Passion sets apart the people who love their work from the people who _________ through their work. It makes the pursuit of excellence _________. It also _________ the top achievers from the merely good ones. In One and Only, a dance film _________ this past summer, it is passion for street dance that _________ the main character Chen Shuo to pursue his dream and dance all the way to success.

The American psychologist Angela Duckworth has studied people who are highly __________ — swimming champions, spelling bee champions, CEOs — and concluded that their achievements result from grit which is the ability to persist in spite of failure and __________. But grit is not just something that some people are born with and some people aren’t. Grit comes from passion. If you want to be highly successful, you need to find the thing that you have a passion for and __________ it. My advice is to try as many things as you can as early as possible, and find the one thing that you love most.

Do you need to be a champion swimmer or a CEO to be happy? Probably not. But most of us would feel a lot more __________ doing something we have a passion for than something we don’t. __________, the natural born artist will probably not do well as an accountant. And the __________ person who loves numbers and analysis will probably not be happy cold calling (电话推销) people and going door to door as a salesperson.

9 . As I reflect on my educational journey, it becomes evident that the impact of education extends far beyond the ranges of the classroom. Education has been the guiding force that has shaped not only my academic progress but also my personal development and outlook on the world around me.

From my earliest days in school, education has stimulated my intellectual curiosity and developed a deep-seated passion for learning. I remember the thrill of getting on a voyage of discovery with each new lesson, as my understanding of the world expanded through the acquisition (获得) of knowledge and the development of critical thinking skills. These experiences have not only nurtured (培养) my intellectual growth but have also equipped me with the tools to navigate the complexities of the modern world.

However, the impact of education goes beyond the field of academia. It has played a critical role in shaping my character and values, equipping me with a sense of sympathy, understanding, and respect for others. Through interactions with peers from diverse backgrounds and exposure to various perspectives, education has been beneficial in cultivating my social and emotional intelligence. It has taught me the value of cooperation, the importance of embracing diversity, and the power of empathy (共情) in making meaningful connections with others.

Furthermore, education has opened doors to opportunities that have paved the way for my future hard work. It has provided me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue my passions, offering a platform for personal and professional growth. The transformative potential of education is evident in the countless stories of individuals whose lives have been improved through access to quality education, breaking the barriers of social and economic inequality.

In conclusion, my journey through the fields of education has been nothing short of transformative. It has expanded my horizons, enriched my understanding of the world, and equipped me with the toots to make meaningful contributions to society. As I continue on this path of lifelong learning, I am deeply grateful for the profound impact of education on my life and remain committed to nurturing its transformative power in the lives of others.

What My Wife and I Talk about When We Talk about Love

My wife used to believe that romantic love is the most important and exciting thing in the entire world when she was a teenager. And the mark of true love is when two good-looking boys get in a physical fight over her. It’s even     1     that they both get injured but don’t end up going to hospital, not because she is worried about them but because it may cause her a lot of     2     and indirect responsibility. One day this will certainly happen to her, if she’s lucky. So you might understand her anger and frustration when I told her that if the other male competitor I have to “fight” with weighs more than 100 kilograms, I will simply hand her over to him without     3    , wish them a happy marriage and walk away with the feeling that tomorrow is another day.

Fortunately, we’ve both grown a lot older and grown out of expecting our life partner to “die” for us     4    . The older we get, the more honest, open and vulnerable we allow each other to be. One of the hardest things about getting older and being in love is knowing when something is just reality and when it’s too much hard work. Identifying what the calm, joyful but often challenging sensation of long-term love is and identifying what has just become totally intolerable is where we all have to really     5     our instincts.

Shared interests are one of the most overrated     6     factors when it comes to choosing a partner. Deciding that someone is a good person, or your soulmate, or made of exactly the same stuff as you just because you both love the music of Faye Wong is ridiculous. Having the same Agatha Christie collection or enjoying most of the movies directed by Richard Linklater will not help you     7     the various unexpected storms of life together.

A much more crucial factor in terms of finding a partner is how much you love their     8    . Since my son was born, I have experienced firsthand how overwhelming it is to be a working parent of a newborn. It has become even more apparent to me that the most important thing in a relationship is how well married couples work as a team. Couples need to be really, really good friends.

When you’re looking for love, and it seems like you might not ever find it, remember you probably have     9     to plenty of love already, just not the romantic kind. This kind of love might not kiss you in the rain or propose marriage. But it will listen to you, inspire and     10     you. It will hold you when you cry and celebrate when you smile. You can carry it with you and keep it as close to you as you can.