To play table tennis against real opponents, I started waking up early to eat breakfast and head straight to the table tennis courts during free periods and weekends. By being the first to arrive, I could set the rules for the game at my table. Initially, I lost every match and was quickly knocked off the table, but after everyone had their turn, I got another chance to practice. To stay on the table longer, I carefully observed the skilled players' serves and returns. However, because my skills were far behind, it was hard to imitate them, and I felt too embarrassed to ask for advice.
Determined to improve quickly, I decided to look for books on table tennis at the library. I searched the entire Chinese library but couldn't find a single book on the subject. Luckily, Sichuan University also had a foreign language library, so I decided to try my luck there. Since table tennis is China's national sport, I didn't have high hopes of finding a relevant book in a foreign language library if the Chinese one didn't have any.
After searching through the foreign language library, my perseverance paid off. Not only did I find a book on how to play table tennis, but I also discovered guides on swimming, snooker, and other sports. The book, titled "How to Play Table Tennis," was richly illustrated and came with a cassette tape, providing both visual and auditory learning from the basics. I felt like I had struck gold. I spent every day at the foreign language library, reading, listening, taking notes, and mentally visualizing the scenarios described in the book.
Immersed in this self-guided learning process for two to three months, I felt like a martial artist in a cave practicing diligently with a secret manual. I quickly learned both the penhold and shakehand grips and mastered various techniques such as looping, chopping, spinning, and smashing. Gradually, I started winning games at the table. I went from losing every match to turning defeats into victories, even managing to fend off multiple challengers. After just a few months, I could compete with many of the campus's top players. At this point, I felt confident enough to ask the experts for advice, combining their tips with the book's theories. Before long, many of the skilled players who once seemed unreachable became my defeated opponents.
To test my table tennis skills, I challenged my classmates who had previously participated in tournaments, including Arui, the one who said I could never surpass him. After an intense match, none of them could beat me; Arui, in particular, struggled against my serves and was completely overwhelmed. He looked at me in disbelief, unable to fathom how, in just one semester, I had gone from not knowing how to hold a paddle to consistently beating someone who had been practicing since childhood. Even until our graduation, he couldn't forget this and wrote about it in his graduation yearbook, expressing his desire for a rematch someday.
My experiences with the rapid sprint of preparing for the college entrance exam and my swift, self-taught mastery of table tennis taught me that with the right approach and genuine commitment, success is within reach in many endeavors. As the saying goes, "Where there's a will, there's a way!" Believing in yourself is half the battle; seeking out methods and taking action guarantees success.
Many books written by those who came before us share their thoughts, methods, and insights. Most problems humanity faces can be addressed with solutions found in books. If you want to surpass most people, you can avoid many detours and save a lot of time by reading the right books and absorbing the wisdom and experiences they offer. Later, I read books like "Rich Dad Poor Dad," biographies of famous people, and guides on how wealthy Americans built their fortunes. These had a far more significant impact on my life, work, and career than any course I took in organic chemistry, advanced mathematics, university physics, or computer science.
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The Chinese Dream on Earth
Non-FictionLife is but a dream of the soul, within which myriad dreams unfold. Once, like Zhuangzi, I was bewildered, uncertain whether it was Zhuang Zhou dreaming he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming it was Zhuang Zhou. Many fall into these dreams, som...
