The Sixth Letter to Chinese Students - The Wisdom of Choice
Life is a series of difficult choices, a continuous process of selection. As we journey through life, what remains behind us are the results of our choices. If we choose well, we will feel happiness and success, feeling that we have positively impacted the world and others.
When I personally encounter important life choices, I have always adhered to the following three principles for action:
Have the courage to change what can be changed, have the grace to accept what cannot be changed, and have the wisdom to tell the difference between the two.
For many years, these words have given me immense support and encouragement, helping me navigate countless life challenges. After sharing these three sentences with young people in China, one student wrote to me regarding these three sentences:
"Upon reading Mr. Kai-Fu Lee's three sentences, I felt a strong resonance in my heart.
"'Having the courage to change what can be changed' represents a proactive Western mindset, encouraging an active, never-give-up attitude towards achieving goals through personal effort.
"'Having the grace to accept what cannot be changed' represents a humble and modest Chinese demeanor, cultivating self-cultivation by acknowledging and accepting the real, imperfect, or even unjust world.
"But I don't know how to understand the last sentence. 'Having the wisdom to tell the difference between the two,' but where does this wisdom come from?"
In fact, "having the wisdom to tell the difference between the two" means using our own wisdom to actively discover and choose the most complete and balanced state, achieving success through this choice. The "wisdom" mentioned here refers not only to discernment and judgment but also to balance and compromise. Fundamentally, it is the highest wisdom cultivated and elevated through choice—what I call the "wisdom of choosing success."
In this century of choice, young students need the wisdom to choose
Renowned management scholar Peter Drucker once said that the 21st century is a century of choice because future historians, if they look back on today, will remember that the greatest reform of our time is not technological or internet-related innovation but rather the fact that humans now possess the right to choose. He said this because, in today's information society, everyone can access information, acquire knowledge, and advance intellectually. Moreover, more and more companies empower their employees, valuing those who make positive choices. Everyone has the opportunity.