[Life] Miss the sunset, go watch the Milky Way

Author: JEFFI CHAO HUI WU

Time: 2025-8-18 Monday, 6:28 PM

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[Life] Miss the sunset, go watch the starry river.

I always approach my work with hope, and I also assess the risks and the possibility of failure. But once I start, I won't stop until I succeed, or until I reach the end and then see. My life experience tells me that many paths can only reveal their outcomes once they are walked. Getting too caught up in the fear of failure too early will only keep you stuck in place.

Many people, before starting anything, will imagine a whole bunch of difficulties, always thinking about what to do if they fail. I have encountered quite a few such people around me. Once, someone was preparing to travel, and before packing their luggage, they listed a long list of potential risks and difficulties: what if the flight is delayed, what if the hotel is not good, what if the weather turns bad. As a result, it made people almost want to cancel the trip. I couldn't help but smile when I heard this, thinking that this is the reason many people fail to accomplish things. Because before they even start, they have already been discouraged by themselves.

The most absurd example was when I informed someone that the National Library of Australia had permanently archived my monthly magazine "Era Transition," and he actually asked, "What if the Australian library shuts down?" I was taken aback for a moment, then I laughed. This made me fully understand why I have always been fighting alone. Others see worries and hypothetical failures, while I see opportunities and the facts that are happening. It is precisely for this reason that I can keep moving forward.

Take the monthly magazine "Era Transition" as an example. From conception to completion, it took less than two weeks for the first issue to be born. Many people say it’s incredible, like a miracle. But I know it’s inevitable. Because once I make up my mind, I will take continuous action. What others hesitate over for months or even years, I can accomplish in the shortest time. Some people ask me if I’m afraid of failure. I reply, what’s the use of being afraid? The road has to be walked. At worst, if I take a wrong turn, I can just turn back and start over.

I often compare doing things to traveling. Once, I saw the clouds filling the sky and wanted to go to Baizhou Bay to watch the sunset. I was only thinking about arriving before the evening glow, and my wife reminded me that we might not make it in time. I replied that it was okay, we would have good luck; if we missed the evening glow, we would go to see the Milky Way instead. Life is like this: missing one scenery does not mean losing the meaning of the journey. As long as the mindset is good, frost, snow, and rain can also become part of the scenery. On the contrary, if one always complains, everything in the world will turn into a disaster.

My inaugural issue is such a "galaxy." Some people think it's impossible to complete an eight-hundred-page publication in two weeks, some believe that publishing in nine languages is an unnecessary risk, and some worry that there won't be readers who will take a close look. But I don't care. I know that as long as this is done, it will be there, becoming a clear path. Future people will see it, will verify it, will understand it. Only by doing it is there a possibility; not doing it is zero.

Many people think I’m crazy, saying that writing over three hundred original articles in less than six weeks is unreasonable. I admit, this is indeed not something that can be done conventionally. But this is my way. I treat myself as an experiment every day, pushing forward with discipline and persistence, constantly validating and correcting. While others might take ten years to produce a few dozen articles, I’ve written hundreds in six weeks. That’s the difference.

Some may say, so what if it's written down? Readers might exit in three seconds. I understand this situation and have heard the perfunctory praise from friends and family. But I don't care. Because I know that true readers don't come this way. The readers in libraries are those who have searched for the work themselves; they will take a closer look and think deeply. That's why I send my publications to the National Library instead of focusing on short-term traffic. Brief applause leaves no trace; long-term preservation is the true value.

I am very clear that the path I walk is destined to be different. Traditional masters often manage to cultivate a few outstanding disciples, which is already a great achievement. What I hope for is that in different languages, there can be ten or eight truly insightful readers or disciples. This is not about nurturing a few individuals, but rather about potentially forming an army. It’s okay for one person to walk alone, because the destination will not be just me.

Many people don't understand why I can persist in doing this. The answer is actually very simple. I always carry hope in what I do. Even when I encounter failure, I won't stop because I know that if the direction is right, I will eventually arrive. If the direction is wrong, I can always turn back. Every step along the way is a scenery. If I miss the sunset, I will go to see the starry river. Life is a journey like this, with no right or wrong, only persistence and choices.

Source: https://www.australianwinner.com/AuWinner/viewtopic.php?t=697249