I have a few things to talk about, starting with my students.
At the beginning of the summer, one of my Korean students planned to start a summer reading program with her daughters. Her 9-year-old daughter doesn't enjoy reading, and she wanted to help her develop a love for it. She knows how important reading is. Now, with the summer nearly over, they haven't started the plan yet.
She isn't alone in falling behind her plan. I advised the mother of my 6-year-old student, "I made a recording of new words and sentences for you. You need to listen to it and practice with your daughter every day." She promised that she would do it. But it hasn't happened either.
In fact, they aren't the only ones struggling to keep their promises. Despite understanding the importance of their plans, they can't seem to follow through. Sometimes, they come up with excuses, even when they know how weak those excuses sound. I have many examples like this. It almost feels futile talking to these people about having a plan.
There is plenty of research on why people give up their New Year's resolutions even before the end of January. Common reasons include having plans that are too general, unrealistic, or not specific enough, or not feeling motivated. Additionally, people often struggle with procrastination, lack of accountability, or self-discipline.
I'm going to share this with them: no more empty promises to me or to yourself. You deceive yourself and deceive me when you make a promise, knowing you are not going to keep it. A Chinese saying, "忽悠自己" (hū you zì jǐ), meaning: "deceive yourself."
No more self-deceiving. Just challenge yourself with one single task at a time, believing that you possess the strong will, discipline, and determination to meet at least one challenge at this moment in your life. Remind yourself that it's a shame if you can't even meet this simple challenge.
Second thing today, with the opening of 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, I dwell on some old questions about the functions of sports in human society. In ancient times sports provided a legal channel for people to let out their aggressive and competitive urge.
These games developed into a major public spectacle that entertained and engaged large audiences, like today's cheerleaders. Today the collective participation in the event allowed the wider community to experience the excitement of competition, providing a social release valve for collective aggressive tendencies.
In conclusion, the struggle to keep promises underscores a fundamental challenge of self-discipline and commitment. Achieving even the simplest goals demands genuine resolve and integrity.
As we watch the 2024 Olympic Games unfold, let us remember that athletes must first cultivate strong discipline and determination to succeed—and the same holds true for everything in life.
In our pursuit of genuine progress, we must replace empty promises with meaningful actions and steadfast dedication.