HSK 3 - 5 - 当未来不确定时 - How to Face an Unclear Future - Chinese Daily Podcast

Hello everyone, welcome to the new episode of "Daily Chinese." I'm Li Ming. Hello everyone, I'm Wang Yu. Li Ming, you sound really happy—did you have a good day today? Yes, the weather is especially nice today—bright sunshine, and my mood has lifted accordingly. Hello, audience friends. How is your day going today? I hope you're all in a great mood. Well, I hope everyone can be happy and cheerful. Everyday Chinese is a podcast specially prepared for friends who are learning Chinese. We hope to help everyone improve their Chinese listening skills in a relaxed atmosphere through chatting. Yes, you don't need to understand every single word; just relax. Listening to Chinese as if you're chatting with a friend helps you feel the language's context and rhythm, which is very beneficial for learning. Yeah, speaking of which, I saw a really interesting picture online last night. The passage above made me think for a long time. Oh, what's so interesting? Do tell. It says that when we drive at night, the car lights can only illuminate the road ahead for 50 meters. But we can still drive the entire journey of hundreds of kilometers. Well, this sentence sounds simple, but it actually makes a lot of sense. So today, let's talk about this topic: what should we do when we can't see the path ahead? This topic is so good—I've also been feeling this way recently, a bit worried and confused about the future. I feel the same way. I think many friends might have the same impression, so let's talk about it together today. Li Ming, you're a very organized person, aren't you? I remember you always make a very detailed itinerary before every trip you take. Yes, I admit it—I like to have everything arranged perfectly. For example, when going to a new city, I'll check the map in advance and book a hotel. I even write down where I'm going to eat at which hotel each day, and which bus number I'll take, on my planning board. Wow, that's really detailed. If things don't go according to your plan, do you ever feel anxious? Yes, I feel extremely anxious; I get the sense that things are getting out of control, and my mind becomes very unsettled. I can't see the path ahead clearly, and I don't know what will happen next—this feeling is terrible. I understand, actually many people are like this. When we were in school, our goal was very clear—to get into a good university. When looking for a job, the goal is to find a good job. But after working for several years, it suddenly felt like I didn't know where to go next. Yes, it's exactly that feeling—like standing at a large intersection with many roads leading off in different directions. But each path is hard to see clearly; you don't know which one is right and which one is wrong. What if you made the wrong choice? What if you wasted your time? Yes, this fear of the unknown is the main source of our anxiety. We always want to clearly see the entire map of life, then choose the best path to walk. But life never seems to give us the complete map. Yeah, so the statement you saw yesterday—did it give you any new ideas? Yes, that phrase gave me a great metaphor—life is like driving at night. You don't need to see the finish line; you just need to see the next 50 meters ahead. As long as you can see clearly for these 50 meters, you can safely drive the car forward. Hmm, now that you mention it, it does make sense. When we're driving, we certainly don't stop just because we can't see a city 100 kilometers away. We believe that as long as we keep driving forward, we will eventually reach our destination. Yes, the key lies in believing, even though the future holds many uncertainties, But we must believe that as long as we take this small step right in front of us, The next path will naturally appear before our eyes. This idea is very interesting; it takes a large and frightening issue Has become a small, manageable problem. We don't need to worry about what our lives will be like over the next ten years. We only need to think about what we should do today or this week. That's it—bring your focus back from the distant, unclear future to the present, which we can actually control. Just like driving a car, you don't need to look at the stars or the distant mountains. You just need to hold the steering wheel tightly and focus on the small stretch of road illuminated by the headlights. I see. So anxiety arises because we think too far ahead, while our abilities are limited to the present. That could be said. By the way, when we chat, if there are some words you don't understand, it's okay—just try to guess their meaning. You can also turn on the subtitles, or check out our blog post after listening. We will write down some important words. Learning a language is like driving at night—it's all about taking one step at a time. This analogy is well made; learning Chinese is the same. You don't need to aim to master all the Chinese characters right from the beginning in order to speak as fluently as a native Chinese person. You just need to memorize a few new words every day and practice speaking a few complete sentences, and keep going. You will gradually realize that you have made great progress. Yes, so the essence of this metaphor is to live in the present moment. It's easy for you to say, but the phrase 'living in the present' is something many people have heard. But very few people actually manage to do it. What do you think one should do? I think we can start practicing with some small things. For example, when eating, focus solely on eating—don't look at your phone, and savor the taste of the food. When walking, just focus on walking—notice the trees by the roadside, listen to the birds singing. Hmm, this sounds like a concentration exercise. Yes, when we focus our attention on what we are doing, There's simply not enough time to worry about the future. I used to love overthinking a lot, but then I started learning to draw. During the hour I spent drawing, my mind was filled only with colors and lines. Nothing at all is on my mind; I feel exceptionally calm. This method is good: find something that allows you to become completely absorbed. For me, it's probably sports—I go to the gym and run every time. When running until you're drenched in sweat, the worries about work, the anxieties about the future, It's as if they all flowed away with the sweat. Yes, sports, painting, listening to music, cooking—these are all fine. The key is to find a moment of pause for yourself. At this moment, you don't need to think about the past, nor worry about the future. You are just with yourself, and with the present. I see, it's about holding the steering wheel properly and keeping your eyes on the road ahead. Apply it to every aspect of life and do well the work at hand. Care about the people around you, and live well each day that comes. Well, when we live each moment well, The future won't be bad either, because the future is made up of countless present moments. But I still have one more question—even if I just focus on the present moment and keep moving forward, But I'm still afraid of taking the wrong path—what if the direction I've chosen is incorrect? The sentence I saw was followed by another one, which I think expresses it even better. He said life has a high tolerance for errors, meaning that even if you turn left three times, It will also eventually turn right. Turning left three times will eventually become turning right. What does this mean? Think about it: at a crossroads, if you keep turning left, After turning three times, isn't your direction the same as it would be if you had turned directly to the right at the beginning? Hey, it really does seem to be the case—this is a fascinating geometry problem. Therefore, what he wants to tell us is not to fear making mistakes. Sometimes you think you've taken the wrong path, gone off course, taken a detour, But perhaps it is precisely these detours that have taught you something new. You saw a different view of the scenery, and ultimately brought you to a right or better place. This statement is too comforting, much like a familiar Chinese proverb we often say, Many roads lead to Rome; this means there is more than one way to achieve a goal. This path doesn't work; try another one—it might also get you there in the end. You're right, life isn't an exam with only one correct answer. You chose a false specialty, and later found that you don't like it; you can then study to acquire genuine professional knowledge. You went to Bing City for work but found it unsuitable; you can still go to Ding City. What matters most is that you have the courage to keep moving forward. Instead of staying frozen in place out of fear of making mistakes, going nowhere and daring to go nowhere. Yes, the most terrifying thing is to stay still. As long as you keep moving, even if you're going the wrong way, you are still exploring, learning, and getting closer to your answer. So, bravely make your choices—life will give you opportunities to correct your mistakes. Now that you've said that, I feel much lighter in heart. We don't need a perfect plan; we only need the courage to act and the wisdom to live in the present. We've had a wonderful conversation today; I feel that many of the ideas we discussed have been very inspiring, not only for our audience friends but also for myself. A moment ago, we used several words during our chat that might be a bit difficult for everyone, so let's review them. Wang Yu, why don't you explain this to everyone? Okay, no problem. The first word is "anxiety." We've been talking about anxiety regarding the future. What does this word mean? Anxiety is the feeling of worry, fear, and discomfort in your heart when you think about something bad or uncertain. For example, many people feel anxious before exams. Yes, it's explained very clearly. The second word, metaphor, you said driving is a good metaphor. A metaphor is using something familiar and simple that everyone understands to explain a more difficult or abstract idea. Just as we use the example of driving at night to illustrate how to face the big issue of the future. I see. The third word is "present moment." We say we should live in the present moment. "Right now" is a more artistic way of saying it; its meaning is now, this moment, at this very time. Therefore, living in the present moment means focusing our attention on what we are doing right now. Alright, the last one—I think also the most important one today: tolerance for error. You said life has a high tolerance for error. The term "tolerance rate" may sound a bit difficult, but its meaning is quite simple: "tolerate" means to allow or accept, and "error" means mistake. So, a high tolerance for error means you can make mistakes without worry—after making a mistake, you still have the chance to correct it, and the outcome won't be too disastrous. This explanation is excellent, thank you, Wang Yu. I hope these word explanations are helpful to everyone. Time really flies; it's already time to say goodbye again. Yes, today we began with a metaphor about driving at night, and discussed how to face an uncertain future. In summary, there are three main points. First, like driving at night, focus on the path you can see right in front of you, and move forward step by step. Second, learn to live in the present moment, shifting your focus from anxiety about the future to effectively handling the tasks at hand. Third, have the courage to make mistakes. Believe that life has a high tolerance for errors—getting off track is not a problem. Keep moving forward; you will eventually find your way. That's a great summary! If you'd like to view the complete transcript of today's conversation or review the key vocabulary we discussed, please check out our blog—the blog's address can be found in the show notes for this episode. If today's content has been helpful to you, please give us a like and subscribe to our channel. Your support is our greatest motivation to keep going. Also, we welcome everyone to leave us messages in the comments section. The question I'd like to ask everyone today is: when you feel lost or anxious, what are some effective methods you use to calm yourself down? Welcome, and please share with us. Looking forward to your comments. That's it for today's "Daily Chinese." Thank you all for listening, see you next time. Goodbye.