My First Marathon

I ran my first full marathon—42.195 km—in Chengdu.
Time: 3 hours, 58 minutes—just under four hours.

For the first 35 km, I held a steady pace of ~5:35/km. At 38 km, sensing early signs of cramping, I eased off—and crossed the finish line safely.

The course was flat, the weather overcast—ideal conditions. The physical strain began to mount after 35 km; that’s when willpower stepped in.

All in all, it was a deeply rewarding experience.

On the subway back to the hotel, I met a friendly retired man from Zhejiang—also fresh off his own marathon. We shared the same stop and chatted the whole ride.

Ten years ago, he ran sub-3:30—a time that, for his age group then, carried the same weight as breaking three hours does today. Now, he no longer races for time. For him—and for most amateur runners—health is the core goal. Pushing one’s personal limits, within that frame, remains meaningful. I couldn’t agree more.

No matter how hard amateurs train or race, we’ll never match elite athletes—let alone state-supported professionals.

A marathon feels like extended meditation: rhythm, breath, and focus fused into motion. For ordinary people, its real value lies not in speed or ranking—but in repeated exposure to our own edges. It’s how we meet the version of ourselves who refuses to quit.

On Values

Here’s how I think about building a values system—for teams or companies:

  1. Let values emerge intuitively first, then verify them. That’s more authentic than over-engineering them—or copying “world-class” companies. What surfaces naturally reflects your lived reality.
  2. A strong values system must be practiced, not just proclaimed. If the founder or leadership can’t live up to it at least 90% of the time, it becomes theater—not culture.
  3. Intuitive emergence works because values are habits made visible: they’re patterns you already follow, principles you lean on instinctively. They grow from the inside out, not top-down.
  4. Values aren’t slogans. They need clear behavioral definitions—and concrete examples of what “living them” looks like.
  5. Personal values → company values → team values. The chain starts with the individual.
  6. Saying something and doing it are two different things. Integrity means aligning inner conviction with outward action—consistently.
  7. Many organizations have no written values—but their leaders model integrity, humility, and care daily. That is values in action—and it spreads silently, powerfully.
  8. Culture isn’t dictated; it’s contagious. Leadership behavior ripples outward, shaping norms without a single memo.
  9. So the real sequence is: inner orientation → consistent behavior → named values → influence on others.
  10. True values aren’t “agreed-upon statements.” They’re repeated, verified choices—habits hardened by time and testing.

The Core Logic of Getting Things Done

Seven principles for doing work well—and doing the right work:

  1. Clarity of purpose: Define the problem first. Quantify the goal. Without this, action is noise.
  2. Embrace experimentation: Learn through doing. Test assumptions. Cut what doesn’t hold up.
  3. Focus on leverage: Resources—time, energy, attention—are always finite. Invest where impact multiplies.
  4. Routinize reflection: Build feedback loops. Turn every outcome—success or failure—into a lesson. Let systems evolve.
  5. Dissolve artificial boundaries: Don’t box yourself in. Stay open to higher-leverage paths—even if they’re unfamiliar.
  6. Prioritize quality over validation: Positive feedback feels good—but relying on it breeds fragility. Train discipline, perspective, and collaboration even in silent stretches.
  7. Execute relentlessly—but only once direction is sound. Use time and effort to let truth reveal itself.

Why Most People Struggle to Use AI Productively

By “most people,” I mean non-AI practitioners—teachers, managers, creatives, small-business owners.

I recently gave an AI workshop for faculty at a friend’s school. Covered fundamentals, tool recommendations (global and domestic), and practical use cases.

Three observations emerged:

  1. The gap between knowing and doing is wide
    I asked teachers: Now that you understand AI’s capabilities, what are 10 specific things it could do for your work?
    Three volunteers shared their lists. Almost none included concrete, role-relevant applications—like drafting parent emails, generating rubrics, or summarizing meeting notes.
    Why? Because understanding AI at a conceptual level ≠ knowing what it can concretely do for you. Awareness ≠ utility.

  2. Tool literacy remains low—even for familiar tools
    Many teachers use Doubao (ByteDance’s AI assistant) daily. Yet none knew about—or had tried—its real-time AI video call feature.
    I demoed it live. The reaction? “Wow—I had no idea this existed.”
    Most AI tools today are intuitive—but users face two barriers:
    • They don’t know the features exist.
    • Even when they do, they hesitate to click (“click anxiety”).
      So I now teach a simple rule: When you install a new tool, click every visible button. Try everything. Nothing breaks. Literally—“learn to click.”
  3. AI isn’t yet tied to real productivity
    People adopt tools faster when they see tangible outcomes. One compelling case study—e.g., “This teacher cut lesson-planning time by 40% using AI”—shifts perception faster than any theory.

Stoic Life Principles

Stoicism is a practical philosophy rooted in reason, self-mastery, and inner calm—originating with Zeno of Citium in ancient Greece.

1. Control: Focus only on what’s yours to control

  • Divide life into two categories: what you can control (judgments, choices, actions) and what you cannot (others’ opinions, outcomes, weather, reputation).
  • Direct all energy toward the former. Release attachment to the latter.
  • When facing difficulty, ask: Is this within my control?

2. Reason: Virtue—not externals—is the sole good

  • Act from rational judgment—not impulse, fear, or desire.
  • Moral character is the only true source of flourishing.
  • Wealth, status, health, and fame are “preferred indifferents”: useful, but never necessary for happiness.

3. Rhythm: Freedom lives in restraint

  • Live simply. Temper desire. Resist hedonic excess.
  • Never trade long-term integrity for short-term gratification.
  • Discipline isn’t restriction—it’s the architecture of freedom.

4. Fate: Love your fate (amor fati)

  • Accept all events as part of nature’s rational order.
  • Resistance wastes energy. Acceptance opens space for growth.
  • Every challenge is raw material for virtue.

5. Mortality: Remember you will die

  • Awareness of finitude sharpens presence and focus.
  • Death isn’t a threat—it’s a reminder to act now, with clarity and courage.
  • True freedom begins when you stop fearing the end.

6. Community: Reason points outward

  • As social beings, our rationality calls us to justice—even when unreciprocated.
  • Assume ignorance, not malice, behind others’ actions.
  • Do good not for praise—but because it’s right.

7. Self-examination: An unexamined life is not worth living

  • Ask daily: How will I act virtuously today? Did I focus on what I control? Was I led by desire or reason?
  • Keep a “reason journal”: log emotions, decisions, and reflections—not to judge, but to learn.