ROYP: From Einstein to anime, our readers share quotes that motivate their ambitions

“Don’t you ever forget this worthless pride of mine.”
- Oikawa Tooru, from the anime Haikyuu!!

In life, there are lots of opportunities that I let go of (like not going to an interview at the last minute) as I always worry about whether I will become a liability to the team. I am afraid my efforts will become futile due to my inability to stand against people with innate talent, especially in public speaking. However, I’ve learn that it’s not winning or getting good results that matters, it’s about not giving up on yourself. The most honourable soldiers are the ones who fight with all their might in a losing battle.

Hello world! I’m just your typical Hong Kong student with a lot of problems. Do you still remember how you felt when you were presented with an impossible problem? Well, I do. Whether it is in our academics or in our personal lives, the older we get and the more knowledge we stuff into our brains, we will have to face more challenging problems. Though at times, we may feel a little frustrated and a strong urge to slam your head against the table, maybe the solution to our problem is in front of our very eyes. However, we often can’t see the solution because we are blinded by our own presumptions.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
- Albert Einstein

Whenever I’m stuck on a problem and start to feel very frustrated, I always remember Einstein’s wise words. Using his advice, I’ll try to change my mindset. I will try to solve my problem from an outsider’s perspective, allowing me to take a step away from the problem and see the big picture.

Hey people! It’s Kelsi. I am struggling with self-doubt over everything. I’m always anxious when I try out new stuff, and it hinders me from becoming a better me.

“Fake it till you make it.”
- Social psychologist Amy Cuddy

I can actually fake confidence to gain confidence. There was an awkward situation during my interview for a leadership programme, as the people there were so timid. However, we needed a volunteer leader to hold an activity. I wanted to take the chance to stand out from the crowd – so I did. I bit the bullet, and during the whole process, “the butterflies in my stomach kept me going”. What I did resulted in my being complimented by the teachers there. After this leadership programme interview, I started applying this quote to almost every awkward situation that makes me anxious.

Hiya! I’m your average teen who constantly procrastinates her problems away, because in today’s overly competitive world it can become difficult to have confidence in yourself. Sometimes you feel that someone else can do the exact same thing, but at a much higher standard. Growing up in Hong Kong especially, it’s constantly been ingrained into our brains to be the best, but honestly “having it all” is an impossible aspiration for anyone.

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.”
- American author and entrepreneur Jack Canfield

The fear of failing prompts us to question our capabilities, and allows self-doubt to edge itself into our minds. Ergo, instead of plunging into thrilling new opportunities, we find ourselves purposefully holding back, just waiting till we’re ready. But where does that take us? Playing it safe does nothing. Although fear is at the kernel of many of our problems, I’ve learned that once we acknowledge the damage it does to us, and move on we find ourselves living our ideal lives.

Got some YP love to get off your chest? Share your thoughts with us! Send an email to [email protected] with “ROYP” in the subject field. Tell us a bit about yourself, your most inspiring quote and what it means to you. Send us a lovely selfie in jpg format, no smaller than 1MB. Don’t forget to include your full name, your age and a phone number (in case we have any questions), and you, too, could be radiating #goals.