When I was young, I was indeed very busy, a busyness driven by the need to support my family. As you mentioned, my busyness then was likely to spare me from being busy later, and my compliance was to avoid being compelled to comply in the future. Because I detested that lifestyle, I became one of the earliest to awaken. I set goals for myself and summarized my belief in eight characters: "One goal, a lifetime pursuit." I had formulated this principle by the age of 17 or 18. If a person determines their goal early, they can quickly become an expert and rise to management positions. Without such decisiveness and early dedication, I might have, as you said, been at the mercy of others at 35 or even 50, unable to master my own life.
My first job was as a teacher. At that time, I had little say in my placement. I was originally supposed to stay in Wuhan to teach at a university, but the school assigned me to teach in Henan Province, which I considered a relatively backward region at the time. I had no choice but to accept. Upon arrival, I did whatever my superiors assigned. However, within just one year, I became a teaching model at the school, ranking among the top three in the entire province. From then on, when assigned tasks I deemed unsuitable, I would state that I couldn't handle them, and they began to accommodate my choices. For instance, regarding research, I would declare that I could not undertake it, focusing instead on the teaching aspects I was adept at and had chosen. Initially, I was paired with veteran teachers, but within a year or two, I turned the situation around, surpassing the senior faculty. All my students passed, with a high percentage scoring above 65, and the average score ranked in the top three in the province, whereas the school had previously been at the bottom of the provincial ranking. With these achievements, I gained the confidence to negotiate with the principal, stating that I couldn't perform certain duties or else I would request a transfer. Although this carried an element of bluffing, I quickly moved onto the path I preferred, seeking positions as a manager or department assistant, ultimately achieving professional autonomy.
