Compared to the past, modern life is characterized by a stronger sense of urgency and a faster pace. Smartphones keep us connected everywhere and anytime, while the rise of mobile work and advanced transportation means work can happen across borders instantly. In this high-speed rhythm, it is a common phenomenon for young people and employees alike to feel busier than ever before. However, to unravel this "busyness," the key is to first clarify one's life goals. Once you define the life you want and the objectives you aim for, and find meaning within them, you can transition from being physically busy to being spiritually at ease.
I believe the most worthwhile "busyness" for a person is preparing for a lifelong career, as this is truly meaningful. It is not about blindly reading, blindly networking, or blindly chasing projects. We must avoid the "bear and the corn" syndrome, where one grabs and drops things without focus. Currently, there is a trend of seeking quick profits in education and culture: the moment a profitable project appears, everyone rushes in. My mentor taught me a strategy: if you see someone else has already started a project, abandon it unless you are confident you can surpass them within six months. Even if you believe your superior skills allow you to overtake them in the short term, you must consider whether you can maintain that lead three years later. Therefore, a wiser approach is to explore untouched areas where the potential exceeds existing solutions. If people adopted this mindset, we would achieve true innovation. Currently, we tend to copy and imitate; if others have a good project, we snatch it, and if they have good technology, we emulate it. If a nation relies entirely on imitation, it will not develop sustainably, and we will burn out from this inefficient cycle, lacking our own unique creations.
Regardless of our innovative capabilities, we should persist in doing what interests us most and in which we excel. Over time, we will find that our efficiency improves significantly, while our input of energy and time decreases. For example, repeatedly handling the same type of issue, such as repairing refrigerator power sources, leads to higher efficiency after five attempts. If I were not pursuing massive profits, I could live a very relaxed life. By setting my output standards at the same level, what used to take me five refrigerators a day could now be done in an hour once I master the technique, leaving the rest of my time for leisure. If I did not plan to open a chain of repair shops, I could even stay home comfortably. Thus, only specialization can prevent excessive busyness; only expertise can boost efficiency, rather than constantly switching tracks. My relative calmness stems from my early passion for physics and mathematics. Although I switched to chemistry after university, I applied the core principles of physics to solve chemistry problems, outperforming many chemists. I used insights from one field to tackle problems in another, and later applied chemistry thinking to physics. Eventually, I returned to my roots by founding a high school physics program, making my work feel the most natural and effortless.
