In many parts of life, we are taught to chase after the top spot—get the highest grades, win the , or be first on every . But lately, I’ve been wondering if this is always the best way to our experiences. Sometimes, forcing ourselves to be first just leads to stress or even disappointment.
在生活的许多方面，我们都被教导要争夺头名——取得最高分，赢得奖学金，或者成为每个等候名单上的第一名。 但最近，我一直在想，这是否总是充分利用我们经历的最佳方式。 有时候，强迫自己成为第一名只会带来压力甚至失望。
A friend of mine recently tried to her time at a popular university abroad, hoping to increase her chances for a better job. She had once received a scholarship and was determined not to waste it. Yet, as her was about to expire, she found herself stuck in complicated , waiting anxiously for a new from the immigration office. While she waited, she tried to distract herself with new routines—she started classes at a local gym and finally took a long overdue her doctor had recommended. These things helped a bit, but the constant , like approaching a without knowing which exit to take, became overwhelming.
我的一位朋友最近试图延长她在国外一所著名大学的学习时间，希望能增加她获得更好工作的机会。 她曾经获得过奖学金，并决心不浪费它。 然而，随着她的签证即将到期，她发现自己陷入了复杂的文书工作中，焦急地等待着移民局的新诊断。 在她等待期间，她试图通过新的日常活动来分散注意力——她在当地一家健身房开始了高强度间歇训练课程，并终于接受了医生推荐的、迟迟未做的粪便检查。 这些事情有了一点帮助，但持续的不确定性，就像接近一个环形交叉路口却不知道该走哪个出口一样，变得令人难以承受。
What my friend learned is that sometimes, it’s not about fighting to stay longer or pushing to the front. Instead, it can be more to make the most of the place you are in—even if it means accepting your spot on a waiting list. After all, there is often something valuable in the pause, the routine, or even in the things we do while we wait. Maybe it’s not about always winning the race, but about the way we run it.
我的朋友学到的是，有时候，关键不在于争取更长的停留时间或挤到前面。 相反，充分利用你所处的位置——即使这意味着接受你在等候名单上的位置——可能会更有回报。 毕竟，暂停、日常活动，甚至在我们等待时所做的事情，往往都有其宝贵之处。 也许关键不在于总是赢得比赛，而在于我们奔跑的方式。
