该句使用一般过去时表达个人经历的开始。
Qi Baishi picked up a pen and paper, leaning over the table to calculate: "I began practicing painting seriously at the age of 20. Before 35, I could only paint for one hour a day, totaling 365 hours a year. Based on this, my annual painting time was only 15 days. From age 20 to 35, those 15 years amounted to 225 days of painting. From age 35 to 55, I practiced for two hours daily, totaling 620 days over 20 years. From age 55 to 60, I spent 10 hours a day painting, which equals 760 days over 5 years. By the age of 60, my total painting time was 1,605 days, which amounts to just 4 years and 4 months."
These 4 years and 4 months represent the period in which Qi Baishi transformed from an obscure village youth into a legendary master of Chinese painting. Many find this duration astonishing, but there is no need for surprise. Success is not far from any of us. As long as you remain diligent and persistent, the light of success will eventually shine upon your hard work.
Do not fear that success is out of reach. It does not require an eternity; even the time spent daydreaming or drinking coffee can be enough to achieve greatness.
齐白石拿起笔纸，伏案计算道：“我从20岁开始真正练习绘画。35岁以前，每天只能画一小时，一年365天也就365小时；按此计算，每年绘画时间仅为15天。从20岁到35岁这15年间，绘画总时长为225天；35岁到55岁时，每天练习2小时，20年合计620天；从55岁到60岁，每天练习10小时，5年共计760天。到60岁时，我绘画的总时长为1605天，折合起来不过4年4个月。”
这4年零4个月，便是齐白石从一名乡村青年蜕变为一代画坛巨匠的“成功时间”。许多人对这个时间感到惊愕，但其实成功并不遥远。只要你足够勤奋并持之以恒，成功的曙光终会照耀在你忙碌的身影之上。
不要畏惧成功的遥遥无期，成功并不需要漫长的等待，只要你能利用好碎片化时间，哪怕只是喝咖啡的片刻，也足以成就非凡。
"Whether you are a student or a young person entering society, you are at the starting point of life."
"A small lead at the start can lead to a great advantage in life."
"However, I believe this is only the first step."
"Doing things is like sailing; it requires high starting points"
"Our origins may determine our starting point."