Wang Yi continued, "But what I want to say is this: although effort doesn't always bring rewards, and hard work doesn't always lead to success, we should still devote ourselves unwaveringly to our ideals, keep striving for the things we love, and keep trying to be good people."
"Even if the outcome isn't always good, the journey of pursuing your dreams will always be something you look back on fondly."
"When you're old and look back on your life, you'll think: at least I tried. At least I fought for what I wanted."
"Good people don't always get what they deserve, but we should still try to be good people. At the very least, our consciences will be clear, and we'll be able to live with ourselves."
At that, the more than five thousand Tsinghua students fell into thought.
Even the mentors present began to reflect quietly to themselves.
In the past, when people offered advice to young people, they always said that hard work paid off, that Heaven rewarded diligence, and that good deeds brought good fortune.
But today, Wang Yi was instilling an entirely new idea in them.
Hard work doesn't always lead to success, but we still have to work hard.
We should learn to enjoy the process of striving.
We tried our best, and we have no regrets.
With that, Wang Yi plugged a flash drive into the computer on the lectern and played a video.
On the big screen, Kobe Bryant stood in a suit and tie, giving a speech:
"Those times when you got up early to work hard; those late nights when you pushed yourself; those times when you were exhausted and didn't want to keep going, but gritted your teeth and persevered anyway—that's where the value of a dream lies."
The video