Cherish the Tough and Challenging Times

New Chinese Content and my new Logo!

Recently, I have started to produce Chinese network marketing training videos and finally updated my new logo which features my Chinese name. I also lead a Chinese training webinar every Wednesday morning and talk to my Chinese team in Asia and in NYC almost daily.

Things are fun and easy now but growing up as a Chinese kid in Bayridge, Brooklyn was miserable.

Growing up in a Caucasian White Neighborhood

The section of Bay Ridge that I grew up in was predominantly Caucasian and I hated being Chinese as a kid. My parents forced me to learn Chinese first and my challenges with understanding English made me stand out in school especially when I was the only Asian kid in my school from kindergarten through 3rd grade.

The Worst Part of Being Chinese

The worst was having to go to Chinese school every Sunday.

Chinese school meant NO NFL football on Sundays!

and there is more…

I could not play as much on Saturdays because I had to first finish my Chinese homework which often would take hours. Homework was mostly bei shu (背書) and mou shi (默書). You had to memorize lessons and then write those lessons from your memory every week.

It was brutal…

I hated it so much that I remember when I was around 8 years old, I would pray to God and hope that my entire life was just a dream and that I would wake up the next day as an Italian kid instead.

I could fit in and be like everyone else and not need to speak Chinese and attend Chinese school!

But alas, I would wake up as the same Chinese kid and be miserable…

My parents were adamant that I learn Chinese first and they forced me to go to at least 10 years of Chinese school. (all they way from kindergarten through high school)

I hated being Chinese!

The Advantages Came Later

It was not until years later that I saw the wisdom and sacrifices that my parents made for me. After college I was able to take advantage of unique opportunities because I was fluent in 2 Chinese dialects (Mandarin and Cantonese) with basic ability to read and write. I became good friends with Wang Zhizhi (the first Chinese player in the NBA) and also expand my network marketing business into Asia.

As I saw more opportunities come my way, I became grateful for what my parents had done. If it was not for Chinese school, I simply would not be where I am today.

In fact, I “turned out so well” that I am forcing my son Ethan to go through the same thing. We are speaking to him only in Mandarin and Cantonese and plan to send him to Chinese school once he is old enough. We figure, just like what happened to me, he can learn English in school and through sports and extracurricular activities.

Wisdom and Learning Come during Tough Times

I would not be where I am today if it was not for those miserable years in Chinese school.

I realized later on that we learn the MOST when times are challenging and uncomfortable. When you are IN that tough time, you may not know why things are happening they way they are. As hard as this sounds, cherish that moment because that is when you are learning and growing the most.

The tough times forces us to get outside our comfort zones and that is when we learn. We gain wisdom and a few skills along the way.

In fact, when I look back in my life and at my proudest achievements, they all happened during challenging and stressful times. The tougher the situation, the greater the achievement.

Why We Need the Tough Times

Of course we can voluntarily stretch ourselves and get outside the comfort zones but how many of you are motivated to do that?

If you are like me, NO ONE likes to get outside their comfort zones.

We need a nudge or most of the time, we get shoved outside of comfort zones due to necessity. At these times we may be stressed and hate the situation but we should embrace it cause it is during these times that we will get wiser and better. Like the way they say it in the gym, “no pain, no gain.”

We can all Become Diamonds

The tough times make us who we become. We are all born with unlimited potential and can become like Diamonds.

Diamonds are just carbon that has undergone tremendous pressure for many years. Without the pressure, they are just worthless carbon atoms… but with intense pressure, they become the beautiful and valuable stones in the world.

We need pressure and tough times so that our potential can be fulfilled and become great like Diamonds.

Keep Your Head Up

So if you are going through a tough time right now, ask yourself what lessons can be learned here. How will you upgraded and improved?

And most importantly, stay positive and keep your head up because once the challenge is over, you will be wiser, better and have had a better experience in life.

Persist!

Keep fighting!

Don’t give up!

If I survived over 10 years of Chinese school, you can do it too!

Sincerely,
Simon Chan