But things started to change in last semester. At the beginning of last semester, I chose to attend AP Physics. I’m not great at Math and Science, so I thought taking AP Physics would be a great opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone. I believed that if I put in enough effort, then things would get better and better. However, I was wrong. I spent every evening studying AP Physics, and woke up at 5 a.m. to finish my other homework. Even so, I got bad grade after bad grade. The truth was, I don’t even like Physics. I felt so bored looking at those equations. I felt exhausted and pressured every day. I didn’t have enough time to sleep, or do things I’m actually interested in. It was a very hard time for me. I started wondering: was this a good choice for me?
但是事情在上個學期開始好轉。在上學期初，我選擇了進修AP物理課程。我並不擅長數理，因此我覺得學習AP物理是一個能夠幫助我走出舒適區的好機會。我堅信只要付出一定努力就能有所進步。可是我錯了。我每天晚上學習AP物理，早上五點鐘起床完成其他科目的作業。即便如此，我的成績仍然停留在不理想的分數。事實上，我一點都不喜歡AP物理。那些公式對我來說是那麼無聊，我每天都被壓力壓得喘不過氣來。我沒有足夠的休息時間，更別提去做自己自己喜歡的事了。那是一段非常艱難的時間。我開始疑惑：這對我來說真的是一個正確的選擇嗎？
I talked to my parents and college counselor about this problem. They advised me to take AP Physics at a later time instead. Although I agreed with them, I just couldn’t give up. Giving up would mean that I failed. It would make me look like a coward.
我向我的父母和升學指導說明了這個問題，他們建議我等待時機成熟了再進修AP物理。即便我認同他們的建議，可我無法就這樣說放棄。放棄意味著我的失敗，讓我看起來像個懦夫。
I struggled and struggled, until I went to see my Physics teacher. He didn’t suggest me anything, but told me he』d support me for whatever decision I would make. If I chose to continue studying Physics, he』d give me extra support and that I would give up much of my free time. If I chose to drop AP Physics, he said, 「it’s totally fine. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.」 He totally understood me. I felt relieved. I realized that my life isn’t only about Physics. There’re so many other things waiting for me to discover!
我不斷地掙扎，直到我找到了我的物理老師。他沒有建議我什麼，卻告訴我他會支持我的任何決定。如果我繼續學習AP物理，他會給予我更多幫助，而這也意味著我需要放棄一定的自由時間。如果我選擇不再繼續AP物理，這是完全合理的，我不必為任何事情感到羞愧。他完全理解我，這讓我如釋重負。我發覺自己的生活並不是只由AP物理組成，還有那麼多的事物在等待著我去發掘探索！
I finally dropped AP Physics and took chemistry instead. Now I have time to read books, practice calligraphy and do my project. Now I feel happy and at peace with myself.
我最終停止了AP物理課程，轉而進修化學。現在的我有時間去讀書、練字，並開展其他計劃。我發自內心地感到快樂和充實。
This experience taught me the idea of 「intelligent failure」, an idea that is often used in entrepreneurship. 「Intelligen failuare」 means that when you fail, you adjust your strategy to adapt to the market after having a clear understanding of yourself and the current situation. Sometimes strategic fallback, such as giving up business that damage the company’s profit, and change strategies that can’t earn the company any revenue, can prevent further loss to the company.
這場經歷讓我學會了「戰略性失敗」，一個在企業管理中經常用到的策略。「戰略性失敗」是指在清楚自己的戰略結構後，主動地從戰略調整的高度來調整自己的失誤，做出適應市場和自身價值的策略性改變。有時候策略性的撤退，比如說放棄損害公司利益的生意，或調整不能為公司贏得利潤的策略，能避免進一步的損失。