When you first meet a successful person, it’s easy to believe that he must have been born with wonderful gifts. In reality, there are numerous examples. Animation pioneer Walt Disney was told that he had “no original ideas” by the newspaper that fired him, and Oprah Winfrey was once told that she “wasn’t fit for television.” 【小题1】 It’s hard work and perseverance (毅力) that finally pay off.

What happens when someone is told that they are talented? Sometimes, they will lose their motivation to improve themselves. For example, kids who are told throughout high school that hey are naturally smart might assume that they will breeze through (轻松完成) college. They might never bother to develop the skills needed to learn new material. 【小题2】 They might find themselves struggling to cope (成功地应对). However, someone who has been told that they are in no way gifted or talented might become discouraged. 【小题3】

To call someone “talented” can also be an act of rudeness. It suggests that the person did not have to rely on their own hard work to achieve success. 【小题4】 After all, if someone else is talented and you are not, why even bother trying to achieve a similar level of success? If someone ever does label you “ talented “, be sure to remind him that it was hard work that made all the difference.

【小题5】 The very idea that some people are born better than others is not constructive.

One day while in the forest, Margaret heard a squeak (吱吱声). She followed the sound, and in the bushes found a little fox. Margaret wanted to leave, but the fox ran after her, limping (跛行) on one leg. Margaret brought the fox to her apartment. She fed it, and decided to take it to the doctor, and then return it to the forest.

Before going to the doctor, she posted several pictures of the animal online. Many people looked at these photos. Margaret decided to read the comments under them. She thought that this cute creature could only bring warmth and joy. And in most people, these photos caused these feelings. However, there were others. They lashed out at Margaret. “You think you have done a great job, but you hurt it,” read one comment. “This is a wild animal, and it must live in the wild!”

The next day, Margaret brought the fox to the doctor. The doctor examined the animal and said that nothing could be done. An animal trap must have broken its leg in the past, and it didn’t heal (康复) properly. The doctor also said if Margaret had not taken the fox home, he would have died of hunger, since he would not have been able to hunt.

Margaret made posts about it. But people did not calm down. Some said it was nice to save a wild animal. But others argued that the apartment was not a good place even for a wounded fox. After all, he needs space. Margaret did not know what to do to satisfy everyone.

But the situation was solved. A zookeeper offered to take the fox because their animals lived in large open-air cages. Margaret agreed. She took the fox to the zoo and often visited the fox. And she was also surprised that the fox taught her a life lesson. From different points of view, any deed (行为) can look either like an absolute evil or a kind deed.

As warm blood spattered all over us, I screamed… actually it was water, but that didn’t stop me being so scared that my heart was nearly beating out of my chest. My friend had persuaded me onto the Hotel Psycho ride at the Prater Amusement Park, I’m unwilling to experience any fear, but I decided to do it anyway. I came off the ride shaking but excited.

Apparently Eleanor Roosevelt didn’t actually say “do one thing that scares you every day”, as is often thought, but nevertheless it’s a great rule to follow. You don’t need to go on a fairground ride or jump out of a plane, but it is a good idea to push yourself out of your comfort zone regularly.

The human brain, particularly the amygdale (杏仁核), is designed to keep you safe. This sounds like a good thing, and obviously, sometimes it is. However, the fact that the amygdala is always on the lookout for danger means that it will prioritize protecting you over almost anything else: learning something new, experiencing something amazing, getting a great opportunity and meeting other people. The amygdala would really just like you to stay put in a nice safe dark cave.

The more you listen to its urgings to avoid all risks, the narrower and darker your life will become. There is plenty of evidence that the most effective way to deal with our fears and anxieties is exposing ourselves to what we fear. You can start off with small steps, but the more you confront (面对) your fears, the smaller they become: whereas the more you allow your fears to prevent you from doing things, the bigger those fears seem to be.

For this reason, it is important to stretch yourself and keep all those possibilities open. You need to take risks and do things that petrify you, so that you know just what you’re capable of. Sometimes those risks won’t work out, but that’s fine, as long as you can learn from the experience, and get ready for the next adventure.