When Einstein was a child, he once had a handicraft class in which students were asked to make a small wooden stool. When the class ended, the students eagerly submitted their works to the beautiful but strict teacher. Einstein, however, had not finished his work and was sweating nervously. The teacher looked at this boy who was excellent in mathematics and geometry and believed he would eventually submit a good piece.
The next day, Einstein handed in a very rough stool, with one leg even nailed crooked. The teacher said disappointedly to the class, “Have you ever seen a worse stool than this?” The students laughed and shook their heads. The teacher then looked at Einstein again and said angrily, “I don’t think there could be anything worse than this in the world.” The classroom burst into laughter.
Einstein blushed deeply. He walked up to the teacher and said firmly, “Yes, teacher, there are even worse stools.” The classroom immediately fell silent, and everyone looked at him in confusion. He returned to his seat and took out two even rougher wooden stools from under the desk, saying, “These are my first and second attempts. The one I just submitted is the third. Although it is still not satisfactory, it is better than the previous two.”
This time, no one laughed. The teacher nodded thoughtfully and kindly, and the students looked at him with admiration and respect.
This story shows Einstein’s persistence and resilience. When he was not satisfied with his work, he did not give up but kept trying to improve. Through three attempts, he gradually improved the quality of his work, demonstrating his attitude of continuous improvement and striving for excellence in learning and life.
